Galestorm
by LokiRavenscraft
Summary: Luffy rescues another person from the marines at Shellfish Island along with Zoro. Kai has a dark secret though..:: ZoroxOC ::Updates whenever I feel like it I guess.
1. Chapter 1

**NOTE:** I do not own one piece, or any of the characters except the OC I made. so yea, don't sue me.

Also.  
This is my rendition of how the story would have gone had my OC actually existed in the world of One Piece. As such, there will be altered fights, slightly different dialogue, and a different look on things. With that in mind, please enjoy.

* * *

I was bored.

Not that it's a surprise, I'm always bored. But today was just more boring than usual.

This town had a surprising lack of brawlers in it, and though I had been lurking in the alleyways all day, no one had shown up for a match. Usually people found out I was in a town pretty fast, since I kinda stand out. Who wouldn't, with red eyes.

I have short black hair that's swept back off my face by a thick red headband, though a few strands end up falling over it anyway. I have pale skin and a nasty cut through one of my eyebrows. I generally wear a black muscle shirt with some kind of short waisted, long sleeved jacket, and black jeans.

It all kind of stands out, but the most defining feature is the heavy handcuffs connected by a long chain that hang off of either wrist. They're a handicap that I wear willingly, but also tend to cause trouble with the marines.

But today I wasn't really out for that, I had just stopped off to restock my supplies and maybe get a few matches in. But no one showed up for any matches, so I was stuck with the boring and mundane task of restocking my bandages and food supplies.

I walked toward the market of town just as something started to happen.

"EVERYONE BOW YOUR HEADS!" yelled a voice. I glanced up to see an ugly blond kid strutting down the road, two marines behind him. Everyone in the market was bowing low to him, but one woman who was in the process of kneeling tripped and rammed into the kid. She instantly backed up and started shaking.

"I'm so sorry!" she cried out. The blond kid glared down at her, and my eyes narrowed. This kid pissed me off already.

"You dare to run into me? Into _me? _I'll tell my father and he'll execute you." He sneered. He raised his hand in the air and the woman cringed away as it swept towards her.

He looked like he was moving in slow motion as I caught his fist, pushing it to the side, and punched him in the face. He flew backwards, his marine bodyguards catching him. I glared at him from under my headband.  
"Fuck you, brat." I hissed. He looked about to cry as he put two and two together.  
"You're...you're 'Godhand' Delanoi Kai.." He said, shivering as he recognized me.

I snorted. He didn't look so tough now, not when he was about to piss his pants.

Suddenly, he smiled evilly.

"You know...The punishment for hitting me is death. Even if you leave, that woman will still be executed." He said.

I went motionless.  
He _wouldn't._

He smirked, knowing he had hit a nerve.

"If you surrender in her place, I won't execute her. But you will have to not resist anything we do to you for a month." He said.

"A month?" I murmured as I glanced at the woman behind me.  
"What's your name?" I asked softly. She looked up at me, her eyes bright.

"L-Lena.." she stammered. I dropped to my knees and put my hands at my sides.  
"Don't worry about anything." I said as the marines grabbed my arms and dragged me to my feet.

The blond kid stood, looking very pleased with himself, and punched me in the stomach. I bent a bit, but didn't make a sound. He grinned.

"This is going to be exciting."

* * *

"Sleep well?" filtered a voice through my mind hazily.

I glared up at my captors from my kneeling position on my floor.

_Fucking bastards._

The blond kid grinned at me, a low chuckle escaping him.

"So easy to capture, even though you're worth so much." he mocked.  
I clenched my teeth and relaxed into my restraints as best I could.

"Maybe if you weren't such a fucking coward I could show you how I got such a high bounty." I hissed at him, my eyes darkening with suppressed rage.  
"Don't tell me you're still mad because of such a little thing." He said almost pleasantly as his aide handed him a sword.

My hand twitched, or at least I thought it did. These marines were thorough, I would give them that. When they had captured me they hadn't bothered to remove my handcuffs, then strung the long chain connecting them to a hook in the ceiling. I hadn't been able to feel my arms properly for several days now.

The blade point kissed the skin of my neck, and I locked eyes with the kid in front of me.  
When he had first brought me here, he had injected something in me that made my skin extremely sensitive to everything.

Just feeling a light breeze was enough to make me shiver like I was in the Arctic snow.

"You know.." he said almost lazily as he moved the sword's point to my arm, "I heard that you are an amazing street fighter."  
I didn't look away.

"What, you want a demonstration or something?" I retorted as he sliced through the bandages that covered my right arm, drawing blood as he did so. I bit back a yell, closing my eyes but unable to keep the look of pain off my features.

He grinned.

"Not so much a demonstration as complete control." He said with a smile.

"Define control." I ground out through clenched teeth. This kid was getting really annoying really fast.

He grinned a creepy smile and stuck the sword into the ground a few feet away from me.  
"I want to cut a deal with you." He said.

I lifted an eyebrow at that, wondering what kind of deal he wanted to make with me _NOW._

"We already have a deal. I surrender and become your prisoner, and you don't kill that woman who ran into you the other day." I reminded him, leaning my head against my uninjured arm. I closed my eyes briefly, feeling tired with the conversation.

"Well here's the thing. I heard you were a famous gladiator a few years ago."

I tilted my head so I could stare at him.

That was hard to get information. Only a few people knew about that, and the only ones who did would pay good money to see me _dead _because of it.  
He laughed at my glare.

"See, we captured the Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro two days ago, and we need some... festivities to celebrate that. You will fight 6 opponents a night for a week. If you can survive that, I'll let you go, without harming the woman." he said.

I mulled over it.

There had to be a catch, there just _had _to. But I couldn't stay here forever, and even though I didn't really trust this kid, if I could scare him badly enough to never threaten the townspeople again this just might work.

"Fine." I growled at him, and he stood, a look of triumph on his face.  
"I can't believe I'm going to get to see your fighting skill live! With you in cuffs of course." I shrugged as best I could.

_Knew it._

"Not like that will really matter." I said, looking him square in the eye.

It was brief, but he flinched.

* * *

That night, the guards came and dragged me outside into the makeshift arena, next to the execution grounds. I blinked rapidly and squinted as a couple of spotlights hit me, unused to strong light after the dark prison cell.

"And now, Ladies and gentlemen, for your entertainment we present the infamous 'Godhand' Delanoi Kai, who will be showing us his skill with barehanded fighting against 6 opponents tonight!" the announcers voice blared. I stood my ground as the guards left and the gates slammed shut behind them.

I cracked my neck and yawned.

"So confident is he that he offered to fight in his handcuffs even!"_  
I don't remember saying that, but alright._

"We are releasing the 6 combatants now. The one to win this round will continue on to the next tomorrow night! Let the festivities start!" The guards started shoving prisoners out of other doors while I stood there utterly bored.

"Did you hear that man? Whoever wins all 7 fights goes free!"

I suddenly moved to stand in front of the one who had spoken. "Sorry." I said coldly, grabbing his throat and throwing him across the arena.

He hit the announcers stand and collapsed in a heap on the ground. I dropped into a fighting stance and glared hard at the other 5 men. "You wanna make this quick or not?" I hissed. They glanced at one another, then back at me. I stood my ground as they rushed forward but...

Sadly, they didn't stand a chance.

I met the incoming fist of the first prisoner with my palm, stopping him completely. He screamed as I squeezed, crushing his hand hard enough to make bones move, but not enough to break. I tossed him aside and tilted my head as a fist whiffed through the air where I had been seconds before. I grabbed the man's arm and yanked him past me, throwing his balance off. He tripped over his feet and hit the ground hard. I spun, lifting my leg and planted it in the next prisoner's face, dropping him like a stone.

The last three went down just as easily.

By the end of the performance, I had not moved a single step beyond where I had walked up to the prisoners the first time.

I looked over my shoulder at the announcer's box.

"That was boring as hell. You don't have anyone stronger?" I called as guards showed up suddenly, gripping my arms and hauling me off. I heard a faint whistle as the announcer began talking again, and looked around for the source of the sound.

Just beyond a picket fence was a man tied to a pole, staring at me.  
Black headband, green haramaki and one hell of a stare.

_Definitely Roronoa Zoro. _

We made eye contact and I offered a small smirk to him.  
He slowly returned it, and I felt the connection somewhat.

_We'll get out of here._

_

* * *

_

It had been a week since then. Day after day of fighting was harder when my senses were dulled and slowed to the point where I couldn't dodge correctly.

_And I was sick of it._

I leaned into my arms, stretched above my head and stared at them dully. I had long cuts scattered across them, courtesy of him allowing the other prisoners weapons. My ribcage throbbed dully and my wrists were scabbed over from where the handcuffs had cut into my skin too many times.

"GET OUTTA THE WAAAAY!"  
"YOU PASSED THE DOOR!"

I stood warily, and listened to the sounds from the hallway. The sound of a person running got closer until whoever it was plowed into my prison cell.

_What the fuck?_

I stared down at a kid who was dragging Helmeppo along behind him. I had to consciously close my mouth as we stared at each other.

"Hey! Is this the guy Rika was talking about?" the kid asked the dimwit he was dragging.  
"This is most definitely Delanoi Kai!" shrieked Helmeppo, looking anywhere but at me.

I observed the kid who had burst through the door carefully. He was slightly built, with a head of unruly black hair and a scar under his left eye. He also had a plain straw hat on his head.

"Did you want something? I was about to take a nap." I said casually. The kid turned to stare at me again.  
"Yea! I'm Monkey D. Luffy! I want you to join my pirate crew!" he said. I blinked.

_Well that was direct._

I looked hard at Helmeppo, who was shivering and shaking.

_He's not going to be in any position to be executing anyone after this._

"Sure boss." I said, shrugging slightly as I made my decision.

He grinned, and I looked up at the chain hooked into the ceiling. I crouched low, and jumped into the air, slamming my foot into the ceiling. The chain came loose and I flipped as I landed on the ground again. Luffy was staring at me with wide eyes.

"That was so cool!" he exclaimed. I hissed as I stood, my ribcage protesting my sudden movements.

I walked past Luffy and crouched next to Helmeppo, who was shivering. "You so much as touch_ one hair _of that woman's head and I'll be back to _kill _you." I whispered into his ear.

"Awesome! We need to find Zoro's sword now. I'm not sure where it is." Luffy said, bouncing up and down.  
I shrugged.

"That's fine. I need my duffle bag too, it has some important stuff in it." I said, moving into the hallway.

Luffy sprinted off and I followed at a _slightly _more sedate pace.

* * *

"Which room are Zoro's swords in?"  
"And my bag!"

Luffy was dragging Helmeppo through the hallways at a furious rate, and I was following close behind.  
"They're...They're inside my room...we just passed it!" gasped the idiot.

Luffy punched him in the face.

"Say something sooner!"  
"Don't hit me...that hurts..." Helmeppo whined as Luffy turned around to go back. I paused, hearing footsteps.

"Don't move! Put your hands in the air!" yelled three marines at us, leveling their guns.

_What hole had they crawled out of? _

"Get a move on boss. I got this." I said, sliding into a fighting stance.  
"GO AHEAD AND SHOOT!" Luffy shouted suddenly, running past me towards the marines with Helmeppo in front of him.  
"What? You're actually using him as a shield?" the marines cried out.

I grinned.  
It was a dirty move and I_** loved **_it.

I launched off the ground, shoulder checking a marine in the gut. I planted my feet and grabbed his arm, spinning him around into his companions. They flew down the stairs in a heap of limbs and we raced down the hallway.

"That was awesome, Kai!" yelled Luffy at me.

"This is the room!" announced Helmeppo.

Luffy broke down the door and I walked in, glancing around the room. "Oh cool! I found Zoro's swords!" He exclaimed.  
I had pounced on my duffel bag and was happily replacing my bandages.

"But there are three swords here..Which one is Zoro's?" he wondered aloud. I placed my favorite knife in my boot as I looked over my shoulder.  
"Just take all three, captain. He'll be able to tell you himself which one is his." I commented as I rechecked all my gear. Luffy wasn't paying any more attention to me.

"Hey, what's happening down there?" Luffy said, pointing to a window.

I walked over and looked down, my eyes narrowing.

"_Fuck_."

Marines were surrounding Zoro and some other kid, holding them at gunpoint. Not the best of situations.

"Hurry up!" called Luffy as he backed away from the window and reached for the sill.  
Luffy's arms STRETCHED and he flew through the window to the grounds below.  
I dashed over and looked down.

_Not too bad of a drop._

I leaped out of the window, ducking and rolling as I hit the ground.

Luffy sprang in front of Zoro and a small kid with pink hair as gunshots rang out.

"LUFFY!" I yelled, scrambling to my feet.  
I shouldn't have worried though. Luffy's body stretched where the bullets had struck, then bounced right back out.

"Devil fruit?" I murmured.

I pulled my knife as the little kid tried to untie Zoro and shoved him out of the way to work on the ropes in a more efficient manner.

The marines fell back a bit, and Zoro stared in shock.

"What the hell kind of human ARE YOU?" he sputtered at Luffy as I began to work on his ropes.  
"He's the crazy kind of course." I said calmly, sawing at the ropes.  
Who used this many to keep one guy in place?

_...This was just excessive_.

Zoro looked over his shoulder at me in recognition. "You're crazy too, ya know." he said.  
"Well, we already knew that." I grinned at him.

"I am the man who will become the pirate king." Luffy said with a grin as he pulled the swords off of his back.

"Look! Which one of these is yours? We couldn't figure it out so we brought all three." he said as he held up the katanas. My knife bit through the ropes at Zoro's middle.  
"I use a three sword style, all of those are mine." Zoro said as I began to work on his arm.  
He was staring at his swords with an extreme level of possessiveness.

Luffy turned to look at the marines for a moment before talking again.

"Fighting the marines here with me will make both of you outlaws. So do you want to die here or not?" Luffy said seriously, and Zoro grinned at that.  
"You son of the devil. I'm not going to die here, so I'll join you and become a pirate."  
I glanced up from my work with Zoro's ropes.

"Hey, I'm already an outlaw, so that doesn't really count as a good question for me, boss." I said as I got through the ropes on Zoro's right arm.  
The pink haired kid that was with Luffy was staring at me in shock as I worked on the last of the ropes.

"You're...You're Godhand Delanoi Kai! How did you end up in this prison?" he exclaimed as he shivered.

I ignored the question in favor of cutting through the ropes.

"Would you hurry it up? the marines are almost on us." Zoro said as he eyed the approaching group.  
"Hey cool your jets, I'm almost done. There's just so much rope.." My knife cut through the last of the ropes and Zoro quickly got to his feet, extending his hand to Luffy.  
"HURRY UP! GIMME MY SWORDS!"

The marines attacked all at once, and Zoro shoved me out of the way. I regained my balance in time to see him draw all three swords and block every single one of the marines.

"Woah...Cool!" Luffy said, his eyes shining as he stared at Zoro.  
"Nice." I commented.

Zoro's glared at the marines over his shoulder.  
"None of you move...If you do, I'll kill you." he said, and a few of the marines started crying.  
I snorted.

_Wimps._

Zoro turned his attention to Luffy.

"I already told you I'd be a pirate with you. Either way, after this is over, I'm going to be an outlaw. But I still have my goals. I'm going to be the worlds greatest swordsman! I don't care if my name is clean or not. Good guy, bad guy, doesn't matter. All that matters is that my name is known worldwide!" he said fiercely, his eyes sparking.  
I grinned.

_Nice speech._

I also was wondering how the **hell **he managed to talk with a sword in his mouth.

"If you do something to get in the way of my goal, I'll kill you." He growled out, and Luffy laughed.

"Since you want to be the Pirate King's crew member, being the number one swordsman in the world is a good thing. I would be really embarrassed if you couldn't accomplish something so small." He said with a smile.

Zoro grinned at Luffy.  
"Well said."

"What about you, Kai? What's your dream?" Luffy asked as I brushed some dust off my jacket.  
I raised my eyebrow.

"I'm going to be the best street fighter in the world, I guess." I said simply.

"WHAT ARE YOU STANDING THERE FOR? FINISH THEM OFF!" yelled a man at the back with an axe hand.  
Luffy brought his leg up and grinned.

"Zoro, Kai, duck!" he said happily.

"RUBBER..."  
I hit the ground and so did Zoro.

"..LEG SWEEPER!" yelled Luffy as his foot stretched and clotheslined all of the marines.

"Ok, really, what are you?" asked Zoro incredulously as he stood again.  
Luffy patted his leg.

"I'm a rubber man!" he said.  
I smirked.

"Oi, Oi, don't go stealing all the spotlight, captain." I said as I dropped my duffel bag. It hit the ground with a thud, creating a small dent in the ground.  
"Just what do you have in there..." muttered Zoro, eying the thing in consternation.

"Sorry!" I said scratching my head. "But I'm going to get serious now." I stated as I slid into a fighting stance, glaring at the marines.  
Zoro snorted, and Luffy was messing with said bag.

"So heavy!"  
"Just leave it there for now, captain."

The marines were doing something strange, and I caught Zoro's attention.

"What is that?" I asked.

The marines were holding pistols to their heads, and the axe guy was approaching.

"What the hell are those stupid marines doing?" Zoro spit out as he started to rush.  
Luffy made it there first though.

"Hey! I'm your worst enemy! Execute me if you have the guts!" he yelled, catching the axe hand of the lieutenant. I relaxed my stance and Zoro removed the sword from his mouth. We watched in silence as the pink haired kid cheered.

"Defeat those marines!"

The Lieutenant threw off his marine coat.

"People like you have no right to oppose me. I'm Marine Lieutenant Axe Hand Morgan!" He shouted.  
I slapped my hand to my face.

"That's a _STUPID _name." I muttered.  
Zoro snorted.

"I'm Luffy! Nice to meet you!"  
"DON'T GREET HIM!" I screamed.

Zoro chuckled as I groaned, fisting my hands in my hair. "I just _had_ to join up with the craziest captain in the world..."

Morgan swung his axe and Luffy jumped above it. The force from the swing split the chain link fence to the left of the battle though, and I lifted an eyebrow.

"Wha...It split the fence in half!" exclaimed the pink haired kid.  
I turned to him.

"You have a name, kid?" I asked.  
"I'm Coby." he said, confused.  
"Well Coby, could you stop stating the obvious?" I waved my hand while I said it, turning back to watch the fight.

Morgan had fallen over, and I blinked.

"Zoro, what just happened?"  
"Luffy kicked him in the face."  
"Ooooh, nice move. I approve."

* * *

I was a little too far away to make out what the two were saying, but I was very proud as I watched our captain kick Morgan around like a bouncy ball.

"WAIT!" yelled a voice. I recognized it as Helmeppo's, and turned as Luffy delivered a stunning punch to Morgan's face.

"I told you to wait!" Helmeppo yelled again. I rubbed my wrists, getting really angry.

Helmeppo was holding a gun at Coby's head.

"If you move, I'll shoot him!" He yelled, and I grinned, taking a few steps forward.  
"No you won't." I said with a dangerous smirk.

"LUFFY! I don't want to be in your way! I'm not afraid to die!" shouted Coby as he trembled slightly.

I grinned at the kid's spunk.

_Who would have thought he had it in him?_

"I know!" called Luffy.  
I smiled at Helmeppo.

"Hear that? He's not afraid of death. That makes this a pointless exercise." I said, tapping my foot against the ground.

"LUFFY BEHIND YOU!" yelled Coby.

I pushed off the ground, and appeared in front of Helmeppo, my hand grabbing his face.

"Why don't you sleep for a while." I said, crushing him into the ground as his gun went off.

I moved my head to the side as the shot flew past my head, grazing my ear. My hands moved, catching his gun arm and twisting. I heard a snap as his shoulder dislocated.

"KAI!" yelled Coby as the side of my face started to bleed.

"Nice!" cheered Luffy, and I stood, looking over my shoulder in time to see Zoro cut down Morgan.

"Zoro!"  
"Leave it to me, captain." The swordsman said with a smirk, and I grinned.

I walked over as Zoro looked over at the marines.

"If you still want to arrest us, come and get us." he said simply.  
"It won't be easy though." I added as I stood beside him.

The marines looked at one another, and suddenly started celebrating.

_Ooo..kay then..._

Zoro wobbled, falling to the ground in a heap. I dashed to him as he hit the ground.

"Zoro?" questioned Luffy.  
Coby was going into hysterics.

I rolled Zoro over and felt his neck for a pulse.

_Whew._

"He's just sleeping, captain." I said, relieved. I hefted his body over my shoulder and almost stumbled.  
Luffy and I grinned.

_This is going to be fun. _


	2. Chapter 2

"That was so cool! Kai, how did you move that fast?" Luffy was asking a million questions a second and my head was starting to spin as we walked into town

"Luffy, calm down..." I grunted as I moved Zoro's weight into a more comfortable position on my shoulder. My wounds were opening again and my ribcage hurt like hell.

I wasn't being careful, however, and almost ran into someone. As I stumbled backward I looked up, ready to apologize when I realized I was face to face with the woman I had rescued from Helmeppo. She stared at me in shock, then her gaze shifted to the swordsman on my shoulder, then at the two kids next to me.

"You're alright..." she said, stepping forward a bit. I smiled, but it was tired and weak. I was wearing out fast.

"Kai, you know her?" asked Luffy as a little girl darted out from the crowd.  
"Mom! Zoro isn't..." she began, then looked up at me who had Zoro across my shoulder.  
"You saved him!" she said brightly to Luffy.

"Come to our house." Lena said, taking my arm. I hissed, unable to stop the sound from escaping and almost dropped the unconscious swordsman.  
"Kai!" exclaimed Coby frantically as I tried to steady myself with little success.

"Gonna need help.." I said, swaying on my feet. Lena rushed to support me, and a shop owner took Zoro from me.  
Luffy looked concerned as I was helped to stand straight.

"Sorry..." I managed to get out through the throbbing pain. Lena nodded, and was giving directions to the various shop keepers around our group.  
"Kai, are you going to be ok?" Luffy asked seriously, and I grinned at him from over my shoulder.

"I'll be fine, Boss. Don't worry about it." I said trying valiantly to keep the strain out of my voice. Luffy nodded, and followed the shopkeeper who was carrying Zoro off, Coby following a second later.

"What happened to you?" asked Lena, unable to keep the worry out of her voice. I was about ready to pass out by the time we reached the an office of some sort.  
"Drugged..." I spit out through clenched teeth. Lena sat me down in a chair and walked into the back of the office.  
I closed my eyes for just a second.

_Just a few more seconds..._

* * *

I woke up in a small sterile room, lying down on a bed. I tried to sit up immediately, but pain shot through my ribs and I collapsed backwards into the bed. Spots and lights swarm through my vision and I dragged an arm across my eyes.

"Oh, I see you're awake!" said a small gray-haired man from across the room. I moved my head and stared at him a little dazedly, while I clinically noted that my movements were much more sluggish than I would have liked them to be.

"Who...?" I asked, licking my lips.

He nodded, setting down his book and walking over to pour me a glass of water. I examined him as I tried not to panic. I didn't like doctors very much, but Lena wouldn't intentionally try to hurt me,_ right? _

The shopkeeper who had helped me get to the building sprang to his feet and helped me sit up slowly, propping pillows behind me. I scowled, hating feeling fragile, but accepted the water gratefully, and drank it down.

"You're very lucky, you know." said the doctor as I set the glass down, and I barked, a harsh laugh.  
"Lucky enough to get drugs jammed in my system that make my skin really sensitive? Yea, every fighter loves that.." I said, and felt like an ass the instant it came out of my mouth.  
I coughed and took a breath.

"Sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out like that.." I offered lamely. The doctor simply shrugged, not taking offense to my tone.

"Well, it's really not as bad as it feels." He said, and I gave him a questioning look.  
"What do you mean?"

"The drugs in your system should wear off in a few days, just take it easy. And if you have a dizzy spell, sit down until it passes." He responded, pushing his tiny glasses farther up his nose.  
I frowned.

"What about my ribs? I know they're bruised up." I pointed out, and he shook his head.  
"Nothing I can really do about that. Try not to strain yourself for a few days." He said, peering at me through his spectacles, which had slid down on his nose again.

The shopkeeper helped me slowly stand up and I managed to keep my feet under me this time. "About your arms though, they should heal up in a week or so." He commented lightly with a small smile. I nodded while running a hand over my head, exhausted.

* * *

I was escorted back to the house I had left Zoro and Luffy at.

"Kai! Kai!" said Rika, Lena's daughter as she ran up to me and jumped. I caught her with a wince as my ribs ached, but held on.  
"Hey." I said, my voice sounding exhausted even to me.

Zoro was sitting at the table inspecting his swords. He took in my arm bandages, fresh from the doctors office, and the stiff way I was moving around but didn't say anything right away. Lena directed me to a chair and I sat, stretching my legs out in front of me.

"What did the doctor say?" she asked me as she fluttered around the kitchen.  
I grinned tiredly as I looked over at Rika.

"Can you go check on Luffy for me?" I asked, rubbing her head. She smiled and took off upstairs.

My look turned dark as I looked at my hands and I took my time answering her question, not wanting to look at Zoro for some reason.

"Apparently the drugs I got shot with were pretty strong. I'm not going to be up to full strength for a few more days, and my arms are going to take even longer to heal. There wasn't much he could do for my ribcage, so I'm just going to have to be careful." I said slowly as I relaxed into the chair, my head falling back as I closed my eyes.

They opened again as Lena hugged me.

"You poor dear.." she murmured. I only smiled as she released me.  
"It's not so bad, really." I started to say, but was interrupted by my stomach growling loudly.  
I froze, embarrassed.

"Sounds like your stomach wants to eat you, Kai." said Zoro, and my gaze snapped up from the tablecloth to meet his.  
"I'd be more worried about your own, Mr. I-didn't-eat-for-nine-days."  
"Well at least it's better than fighting in a week-long tournament while drugged up, shitty fighter."  
"What did you say, stupid swordsman?"

We eyed each other over the tablecloth in mock anger as Lena laughed.

* * *

"Ah...that was great! I'm so full!" Zoro said happily, patting his stomach. "I hadn't eaten in so long, I thought I was gonna die!" he said as he sat back in his chair.  
I grinned at that, still working on my plate of food.

"You never would have made it a month!" huffed Luffy, his fork stuck in his mouth.  
Zoro leaned over to stare at him in disbelief, then turned to me.

"You're both so scrawny, how can you eat more than me?" He muttered and I smirked at that.

"What, your eyes bigger than your stomach, Zoro?" I teased as I leaned over to steal a piece of food off his plate.  
"I never said that!" he exclaimed loudly as he tried to smack my hands away. I was too quick though, and scarfed down the bacon I had snatched with a laugh.

Coby turned to Lena. "Sorry, I ate quite a bit as well.." he was saying, and she just smiled.  
"Eat as much as you want, you saved our town!"

Rika had developed a huge case of hero worship for Luffy.

"You're so strong!" she said to him. He grinned, his mouth full of food.  
"Yup! And I'm going to get stronger too!" he said around his fork.  
"Don't talk with your mouth full!" I snapped good naturedly, downing my water in one enormous gulp.

"Oh, yea...What are your plans now?" asked Zoro, looking thoughtful. He had a nasty scar on the side of his face, but it would heal up eventually.  
Luffy swallowed and I grinned.

_Fast learner._

"We're going to head to Grand Line!" Luffy said with a huge grin. I smiled as Coby freaked out.

"What? You're talking crazy again! You want to go to Grand Line with just the three of you? Don't you get it? All of the strongest pirates gather at Grand Line!" He shrieked as Luffy calmly watched his antics, munching on some ham.

Zoro grinned and leaned back in his chair. "Well, if we're going for One Piece, we'll be heading there anyway."  
"Not you too?" Coby cried in despair and suddenly turned to me, his eyes full of hope.  
I shrugged.

"Don't look at me, kid." I said, taking a bite of toast.

"What are you getting so worked up for anyway? It's not like you're going with us." commented Zoro, and Coby slammed his hands into the table.  
"Even though I'm not going, I'll still worry! Don't say I can't!" He said with determination.  
Zoro looked taken aback.  
"Uh..."

"Luffy! Even though we just met, we are friends." said Coby.  
Luffy smiled at him, a happy-go-lucky grin that stretched from ear to ear.

"Of course! Even though we part ways here, we'll always be friends." He said.  
Coby's eyes lit up and he looked down at the ground for a second.

"I never had any friends growing up...Every time I would be picked on, no one would stand up for me." He said softly, and the three of us looked at him seriously.

The door opened suddenly, and I looked over my shoulder at the marines who had come in the front door.  
"Excuse us." The man at the front said politely, and I lifted an eyebrow.

_And you want...what?_

"We were wondering, are you really pirates?" he asked.  
"What kind of stupid question is that?" I muttered as Luffy smiled.

"Yep! I just found my first two crew members, so that makes us pirates now!" I couldn't help but chuckle and the marines looked uncomfortable.

"Well..Even though you are pirates..You saved our base and town, and for that we really are grateful..."

_But..._

"...But because you are pirates, as marines we can't have you stay here any longer." He said, tugging on his hat.  
Zoro and I exchanged a look.

"Please leave town immediately. And as for what happened, we will be reporting it to marine headquarters." the man finished.

"You can't ask them to leave now, not after everything they've done for us!" exclaimed Lena, giving the marine a hostile glare. "Besides that, Kai is seriously inju.." she began to rant, and I cut her off.  
"It's fine, Lena. Don't worry about it." I said, dropping my fork onto my plate.

Luffy stood, and Zoro and I followed suit.

"Well, let's go then. Thanks for the food, Ma'am!" the captain said to Lena, and I grinned at her, patting Rika on the head. We walked past Coby without saying a word.

The marine captain turned to Coby as we neared the door.  
"Aren't you with them?" he asked him suspiciously.

Luffy glanced over his shoulder at that, and Zoro and I stopped walking to see what our captain would do.

"I'm..I'm not with them!" Coby said, and his voice shook.

Luffy grinned as he continued walking to the door. The Marine captain saw the smile however, and seemed to connect some dots in his head.  
"Please wait..." He asked, and Luffy turned to face him.

"Is he telling the truth?" the marine asked. Our captain looked at him for another half second before pointing at Coby.

"I know what this guy used to do. I can't remember where but it was with this fat lady named Alvi..."  
"SHUT UP!" yelled Coby as he punched Luffy, who was grinning as he punched right back.  
"I'm going to beat you up!"

It quickly degenerated into a brawl of sorts, but very one sided.  
I tried very hard not to laugh.  
I _really_ did.

"BOTH OF YOU STOP! I WON'T ALLOW ANY MORE FIGHTING IN THIS TOWN!" yelled the captain.  
Zoro grabbed the back of Luffy's shirt.

"Hey..You went overboard. Stop it." The swordsman said as Coby lay on the ground, panting.  
"I GET IT! HE'S NOT YOUR FRIEND! GET OUT OF HERE!" shouted the Marine.

We walked out and I laughed as Zoro taunted the marines.  
"Didn't you want to arrest me?" he smirked, and I smacked him in the arm.

"Cut them some slack. Not their fault that we're stronger than them." I said with a grin.

The marines glared at us and we dissolved into laughter.

* * *

We reached the dock and Zoro turned to Luffy.

"Nice act, by the way. Even though he used to be a pirate, they'll let him join now." He complimented, and Luffy grinned like a proud parent.  
"He'll get stronger in the future." He said as Luffy grabbed the rope of a dinghy.

"We better leave already. Leaving without saying goodbye is a good way to go."  
"Haha! that's so true!"  
"LUFFY!"

We turned to face Coby, who was saluting us.

"THANK YOU VERY MUCH! I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU!" He shouted.

I grinned as I turned away.  
"Nice words."  
"I've never seen a marine saluting a pirate." commented Zoro with a smirk.  
"We'll meet again someday Coby." said Luffy with a huge smile.

I got into the boat and stretched my legs out in front of me, closing my eyes.

"ALL MARINES, SALUTE!" I heard the captain of the marines say, and settled down more comfortably. I felt the boat move as Zoro sat next to me, looking pleased as punch. I smirked as Luffy waved back at the marines as we set off.

"WE'RE OFF! GRAND LINE HERE WE COME!" Yelled Luffy. He was wriggling around like a puppy.  
"So damn infectious.." I said happily as I relaxed, getting ready for a nap.  
Zoro laughed.

* * *

**A few days later...**

* * *

"Ugh I'm so hungry..." complained Luffy.

I opened one eye and grunted a bit, sitting up carefully.

"It's funny that you have no navigational skill whatsoever." Zoro said with a slight frown as he leaned on the side of the boat next to me, facing Luffy.  
"What? I've always just wandered around. You're the same way, hunting pirates and living off the rewards." Luffy pointed out, and I chuckled.

I examined my arms carefully. They were healing up rather nicely as long as I didn't aggravate them.

"I don't remember saying that." said Zoro casually. "Besides, I was looking for someone, but I don't remember how to get back home. I had no choice but to start hunting pirates for a living, just to get a little money."  
"Isn't that the same as being lost?"  
"Shut up! You're the one who's lost!"

I laughed as Zoro turned away, a vein in his head pulsing. "Never heard of pirates who can't navigate. How do you think we're going to get to Grand Line?" he asked caustically, and I nodded in agreement.

_He has a point. _

"That's true. We should find a navigator."  
"And someone who knows how to cook, and someone who knows how to sing..." said Luffy, ticking off things on his fingers.  
"WHAT ARE YOU GOING ON ABOUT?" yelled Zoro.

They both fell backwards with a sigh.  
"Soooo hungry..."

I leaned against the side of the boat and just relaxed, feeling peaceful as the breeze swept over. We continued that way in silence for a while, before Zoro made a small sound in his throat.

"A bird..." He muttered.

I opened my eyes to look at it.

"Looks pretty tasty." commented Luffy, and I chuckled at that.  
"You think everything looks good to eat, captain." I said.

"I'm going to catch it!" said Luffy, sitting up suddenly.  
Zoro lifted his head to fix Luffy with a stare.

"What? How will you eat it?" He asked, getting to the heart of the problem immediately.

Luffy stood and stretched his arms to grab the sails. "I'll go get it! Watch my specialty!" He said, giving us a huge smile.  
I felt my stomach drop as I got the feeling he was going to do something stupid.  
"Wait a minu..." I began.

"RUBBER ROCKET!" He yelled, flying into the air.

Zoro shaded his eyes with his hand, and my jaw had hit the bottom of the boat.  
I was also pretty sure my eyelid was twitching.

"I can't believe he thought of that.." muttered Zoro.  
"That's not what I would be impressed with.." I said faintly.

Luffy started flailing, and we both noticed that the bird was trying to eat him.

"HEELLLPPP!" yelled Luffy.  
"AAAAAHHH!"  
"YOU IDIOT!" Zoro screamed as he scrambled for the oars."WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"

I worked my way to the prow of the boat, and tried to keep the bird in sight. Honestly though, I was impressed with Zoro's stamina. For someone who had gone for 9 days without food and water and had only a single meal before leaving town, he was doing _EXTREMELY_ well in that department...

_**"Kai! Get your ass over here and help me row!" **_

_...Maybe not. _

"There's no way in hell I could keep up with that crazy pace." I muttered as shaded my eyes with my hand.  
"Hey! Stop the boat! Let us on!" yelled a voice.

I spied three figures swimming towards us.  
"Zoro! Man overboard, dead ahead!"  
"What? There are people over there too?" He sounded annoyed.

"We don't have time to stop! Get on by yourselves!" he yelled at them as he plowed through the waters. The three people in the water faltered as they saw he was being serious, and just barely managed to grab onto the sides of the boat as we flew past.

"Your climbing skills aren't bad." He said with a smirk as they collapsed onto the deck, and I laughed.  
"It's to make up for their swimming skills." I said humorously.

"Hey." said one of the people we had just picked up from behind me. "Stop the boat. This is Captain Buggy's territory."  
"What?"

I glanced over at Zoro, who was going for his swords.

_I would __**not **__want to be on the receiving end of that look._

_

* * *

_

"We're so sorry! We didn't realize you were Roronoa Zoro!" they said, rowing the boat along.

Zoro had one mean punch when it came down to it, and I didn't think these three would be giving us any problems anytime soon.

"You idiots made me loose track of my friend. Row harder, put some backbone into it. If I can't find him, you three are in deep trouble." he snarled at them, pissed.  
"Why were you idiots even in the middle of the ocean?" I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest as Zoro gave me a look that clearly said, _what does that have to do with anything?_

"It was that girl! She tricked us!"  
"She acted sick and stole our boat and all our treasure!"  
"And then she predicted a storm and sank our boat!"  
"It's terrible!"

Zoro looked mildly interested. "Ha, so she can predict the weather? That's an interesting skill." He said as I nodded my head in agreement.  
"I wonder if she'd join us.."

The pirate idiot trio continued talking,

"If I find her, I'm gonna kill her!"  
"First we gotta get our treasure back or Buggy will be pissed..."

Zoro perked up at the unfamiliar name.

"Who's Buggy?" He asked.

The three pirates stared at him like he was an idiot. "He's our pirate leader. You haven't ever heard of Buggy the clown? He's dangerous..He ate a Devil's Fruit." said the leader of the little group.  
"A Devil's Fruit huh?" said Zoro with a tiny frown.

_I wish I was psychic._


	3. Chapter 3

"We're here, Master Zoro, Master Kai." the idiot pirate trio said.

The small town was quiet. No one was walking around, no kids were playing, no dogs were barking. The usual sounds of the docks, ropes snapping and people talking, were strangely absent.  
I wasn't the only one who noticed it.

"The town is empty?" Zoro wondered aloud.  
"Well, the truth is, our crew is raiding here at the moment." said one of the pirates respectfully.

Zoro and I glanced at each other.

_This could be trouble._

"Man, Luffy is such a bother sometimes..." I complained, and Zoro shrugged.  
"We better go talk to this Buggy guy. He might have some info on where Luffy is." He said as he placed a hand on his swords and started to walk off.

_Hang on a second..._

I faced the pirate trio with my fists on my hips and a threatening glare in place.

"You three!" I barked. They shook like leaves and Zoro stopped walking to observe.

"You are going to take us to your captain." I said imperiously.  
"You won't like what happens if you don't..." piped up Zoro from behind me.  
"YES! PLEASE LET US TAKE YOU THERE!" they cried and I motioned ahead of us.

"No funny business. If I see you so much as chatter amongst yourselves once I'll kill you." I intoned carelessly and one of them started crying as they moved to the front.

We walked down the street in silence for a while before we saw a bar at the end of the street.

"That is where our captain is, masters!" the pirate trio quavered.  
"Huuuu? A pirate base on top of a bar? Sounds like something I would do." I commented lightly.

**BOOM**

The row of houses next to me exploded and I stared at it.

"Cannon fire?" I arched my eyebrow.  
"That would be our Captain. He has a liking for cannons." said one of the pirates as Zoro and I ignored them in favor of running at the bar.

"Pretty good chance Luffy is up there, right?" I asked as we ran, and Zoro snorted.  
"Where else would he be except for in the middle of everything?"

* * *

As we burst onto the roof, a group of pirates were attacking a single girl who was clutching a fuse connected to a bomb. Zoro's sense of honor kicked in and he drew his sheathed swords, knocking the pirates out.  
"Hey..Just how many of you are attacking one girl?" He said rather angrily.

Luffy looked ecstatic at the sudden arrival.

"Zoro!" He said as I sat down on his cage.  
"Hey boss." I said, leaning upside down to greet him.  
"Kai!"

The pirates stared at one another in shock.

"Zoro?"  
"Kai?"

Zoro ignored their mutterings and turned to the girl. "You get hurt?" he asked her briefly, and she dropped to her knees in shock.  
"No, I'm fine.."

I sat up straight again, knocking my hand against the cage. "Captain, are you an idiot?" I snorted.

_How in the hell did this kid survive without a keeper?_

"You actually found me! Get me outta this thing, quick!" He exclaimed, gnawing on the bars, and Zoro gave him a look halfway between anger and amazement.

"You..Is this your idea of fun?" He asked, tapping one of his swords on his shoulder. One of his eyebrows crawled up his forehead to perch near his hairline. "You get carried away by a bird, and when we finally find you, you're in a cage? Idiot!" He said bluntly, and I laughed.  
"It's true, Luffy."

"D-did he say his name was Zoro? Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro?"  
"Isn't that Godhand Delanoi Kai?"  
"Why are they together?"  
"Why are they talking to a thief..."

I glanced up to see Buggy's eyes glancing between me and Zoro, and I leaned forward a bit with a frown.

"I didn't think you were this inhospitable to guests, Buggy." I commented as Buggy twirled a knife in his hand and turned his attention to our swordsman.

_Hey, don't ignore me here._

"Ah, Pirate Hunter Zoro. Come for my head have you?"  
Zoro didn't even look at him.

"I have no interest in that because I quit being a pirate hunter." He stated plainly and I let out a humorous snort.

"But I have some interest. If I kill you both, my fame will rise." Buggy said, smiling dangerously as Zoro unsheathed his swords.  
"If you don't wanna die, then leave us alone." He said sternly.

The pirates started cheering for their captain and Buggy got into a fighting stance. "If you don't show your skill, you'll be dead..." He said.  
Zoro responded with a glare. "Fine! If you're sure this is what you want!"

Buggy ran at him and Zoro sliced him into three parts.

_Well that was quick._

"That guy is so weak!" exclaimed Luffy and I frowned. Something was off.

"He died pretty easily..." muttered Zoro as he put his swords away.  
"Hey Zoro, get me out of this thing!" yelled Luffy. Zoro let out a long-suffering sigh and walked over to the cage as I crossed to Buggy's body and nudged it with my toe. I eyed the pirates surrounding us, who were chuckling.

"This doesn't seem right..." I muttered to myself.

One of Buggy's hands twitched.

"This thing isn't going to open without a key. I can't cut through iron.." Zoro was saying while he examined the cage. The pirates were laughing harder now, and Zoro finally turned to look at them.  
"What's so funny? Just give us the key. I don't want to fight you guys." he said with a frown.  
"They're pretty weird.." said Luffy as it hit me.

No blood._  
And he's a Devil Fruit user..._

"Zoro watch out!" I yelled, pushing him out of the way.

A disembodied hand slammed into my side and I toppled over with a scream as my side began to burn.  
"KAI!" Luffy yelled as I looked down through the pain and saw the edge of a knife sticking straight through my torso.  
"The hand?" shrieked the girl we had saved.

I yanked the offending limb out, throwing it aside as my waist began to throb.  
"Shit!" I panted, gasping for breath.

_When I said to not ignore me I didn't mean stab me in the gut._

"I ate the Bara Bara (Chop chop) fruit. No matter what you do to me, it can't hurt me because I'm a sectioned man." Buggy said with a grin, his body parts sticking back together.  
I glared at him as I tried to get up, my hands clamped to my side.

_The residual drugs weren't making this any easier. _

"What? I thought Devil's Fruits were just a myth!" exclaimed the orange haired girl as she helped me sit up, and Zoro took a defensive stance in front of me.  
"Oi, don't move around so much, idiot." He grunted at me.  
"I'll be fine." I managed to say through clenched teeth.

"Sectioned man? That guy's a monster!" said Luffy, and I laughed in spite of myself.  
"We aren't really in any position to judge, boss." I said, leaning back on the cage with a slight smile.

"_We_?" muttered Zoro, with a quick backwards glance in my direction.

"I see I missed your vitals, Kai! But it's still a serious injury, which means this will be an easy victory." said Buggy with a smile.  
"I'm not dead yet. I've had worse than this before." I hissed.

The pirates of Buggy's crew cheered their captain on as we stared them down.

"Stabbing from behind is dirty, you big nose!" yelled Luffy.

_Way to go captain... Insult him and make him mad._

"Who are you calling a big nose!" He shrieked, his arm flying towards Luffy, and by default, me. I slammed into the cage as I caught the hand an inch before it hit Luffy.  
"Kai!" I heard Zoro call dimly.

"I swear...I'm gonna take you down." growled Luffy.

Buggy thought this was the funniest thing in the world. "You three are going to take me down? How are you going to do that in this situation? You're all going to die on the spot." he laughed as he motioned towards his crew.

I groaned as the disembodied hand jerked out of my grasp, cutting into my hand as it did so. I managed pull myself up as Zoro and I exchanged desperate glances. Luffy started laughing and I looked down at him.  
"Zoro, Kai! Run away!" He yelled at us.

We stared at him in shock, trying to make sense out of it.  
"Hey! They came to rescue you and now you're telling them to run away?" yelled the chick as Zoro grinned with understanding.  
"Ok!"

_NO! THERE'S NOTHING OKAY ABOUT IT!_

He sprung into action, blocking Buggy's 'Free' arms, and grabbed the cannon that had been pointed at Luffy.

"Hey, what are you..." I trailed off as he shouldered the cannon up and over to point at the pirate crew.  
"...Shit you're strong."

The Buggy pirates went nuts.

"AAAAHHH! It's pointed at us!"  
"THAT THING STILL HAS A BUGGY SPECIAL IN IT!"  
"I need a light!" barked Zoro at the orange haired girl.  
"Oh! yes.." She said as she lit the cannon and they ran towards us.

"It's a good time to leave..." Zoro observed as I held my side.  
I frowned at the girl.

"Who are you, anyway?" I asked her as Zoro tried to figure out how to get Luffy down.  
"I'm..I'm a thief.." she said as Luffy grinned brightly.  
"She's our navigator!"  
"I meant her name!" I snapped.

"If you have time to say stupid stuff like that, shouldn't you be worrying about how to get out of the cage?" The girl was yelling at Luffy.  
"You're right, I'll do that." He said as if the thought had just occurred to him.

Zoro smirked and I could practically see the light bulb go off over his head.  
"No..You just stay in there." He said, and I glanced over at him.  
""You sure about this, Zoro?" I asked.

He grunted as he grabbed the bars of the cage and lifted the whole thing onto his shoulder.

_Talk about having muscles._

"It's not like you're in any condition to help me out." He commented as Luffy began to worrywart about my condition.  
"You're welcome." I said caustically, gripping my side and swaying. "What are we gonna do if you get a hernia and collapse? This is an awful idea." I complained.

"Don't tell me what to do. I do what I want." He huffed as he glared me down. "Don't butt in!" He finished as he jumped down onto a row of houses.

I dropped down after him and bit back a yell as the stab wound throbbed painfully. He moved pretty fast and I had to work to keep up with him.

* * *

When we were a good distance away he set the cage down and sat in an alcove on the roof. I collapsed next to him, panting lightly.  
"Damn.." he muttered, rubbing a hand over his head.

I was trying to wrap my hand wound while we had a breather, but wasn't managing too well. "If this cage would just open!" Luffy said around a mouthful of bar.  
"Your teeth are going to break, Captain." I commented as Zoro grabbed the bandages from me and helped me tie them off.

"This is bad...But gotta finish what we start I guess." He said.  
"You mean the situation right?" I said tiredly.  
"Well, that and we have to find a way to get down. If we stay up here for much longer, they'll be able to see us with that vantage point they have."

I groaned, and set my foot on the side of Luffy's cage.  
"Hey what are you..."

I kicked with everything I had, and Luffy's cage slid off the roof. It hit the ground with a clang that was sure to draw attention.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Zoro yelled at me as I eased over the side of the roof and grabbed a rain pipe.  
"Getting down." I said as I slid down the side.

He leaned over to see me land on the ground safely.  
"Ok, so that wasn't a half bad idea..." He mumbled in defeat.

* * *

"We're really far from the bar now." I said, hobbling after Zoro. He had taken to dragging the cage along, and I was loosing feeling in my fingertips.

"They won't be able to catch up with us." He huffed, fixing me with a look.  
"Don't you glare at me." I hissed at him, holding my side.

I had tried to help him move the cage, only to have him hit my stomach with his sword sheath to get his point across that I wasn't in any _"fucking condition to help damnit."_

"Well, we got away, but this cage is annoying. There's gotta be a way to open it..." Zoro mused as I slid to the ground.  
"Yea...If we can't get this open then when the bad guys come I can't join the fight!" complained Luffy.  
I smiled wanly at his one-track mind as Zoro shook me a bit.

"Hey, you don't look so good." he commented critically as Luffy started poking a fluffy white dog that had come outta nowhere.|  
"Hey its a dog!" the captain said.

I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, it's not moving." **poke**  
"Is it really a dog?" **poke**  
"Hey Zoro, look at this dog." **poke**

"..Whatever..." said Zoro tiredly as he sat down on the stoop of the house.  
"Stop poking the dog!" I hissed at Luffy.

"You should be thinking about how to get out of there!" Zoro smacked the cage with one hand to illustrate his point and leaned back to catch his breath.

"I wonder if it's dead..." Luffy said, finally poking the dog in the eyes accidentally. It retaliated by biting him in the face and I could only stare as Luffy started fighting with it.  
Zoro's eye started twitching.

"DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW SERIOUS THE SITUATION IS?" he yelled, and I tried to sit up, making the wound start to bleed more.  
Zoro glared down at me and put a finger on my head, keeping me pinned to the ground.

"Stay down or you'll make it worse." he commanded.  
I fixed him with my best basilisk glare.

"Idiot Swordsman."  
"Shitty Fighter."

I let him win, too tired to do much else except lay on the ground and just be for a few moments.

I heard footsteps and craned my neck up as the orange haired girl appeared in my field of vision.  
"You...What are you three doing? If you just lie in the middle of the street Buggy will definitely find you." She said with a long-suffering look on her face.  
We all smiled at her.

"Oh! Our navigator!" the three of us said at once.  
"Says who! And my name is Nami, not navigator!" she shrieked at us, and I let my head fall back against the ground, drained.

"I just came to repay you because you saved my life back there." she stated, tossing a key at Luffy. It landed on the ground between him and Zoro, and they both stared for a few long seconds.  
"The key! You stole the cage key!" Luffy exclaimed, and the girl tried not to look pleased with the sudden praise.  
"Yea...even if I think it was a dumb thing to do. I couldn't steal any treasure because of that." she complained and I blinked.

_All you wanted to do was steal treasure?_

"Ahhh! I was gonna get a headache from thinking about it so much!" exclaimed Luffy.  
"Good thing that doesn't happen often, captain." I snorted as I (_once again_) tried to sit up.  
"Yea, that definitely makes the tough escape worth it.." Zoro said with a satisfied look as he offhandedly reached over and _(once again)_ pushed me down again with one finger. _  
_  
Luffy reached for the key...and the little white dog ate it whole. We stared for a second as the dog quivered a bit, and then Luffy started throttling it, trying to get it to throw the key back up.

"YOU STUPID DOG! SPIT IT OUT IT'S NOT FOOD!" He yelled.  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING! YOU IDIOT!" I shrieked, finally sitting up straight, causing my side started to throb even more.  
I gritted my teeth and flopped back to the ground.

"I told you not to move around so much..." grunted Zoro.

"Hey! Stop picking on Shushu!" bellowed someone from down the street.  
"Uh...Who are you?" asked Zoro carefully.  
"I'm this town's Mayor, Boodle!" the man declared proudly, then got down to business.

"Why are you kids here? Don't you know this area is dangerous?" he asked.  
"Yea we get that..." I mumbled and tried to sit up again, but swayed horribly.  
"Easy!" exclaimed Zoro, holding me steady.

"Is he hurt?" asked Boodle quickly, leaning down. I faded in and out as Nami explained the situation.

"Hey, stay awake." Zoro commanded me as he tried to help me stand, but my feet were numb and I couldn't feel them at all.  
"Gotta...sleep.." I mumbled.  
"My house is just down here, he can sleep there."

The world spun and I was lifted off the ground. I could hear Zoro's heartbeat as my head lolled against his shoulder.  
"You better thank me for this later, shitty fighter..." He ground through clenched teeth as he tried not to jostle me.  
"Sorry...Don't worry about me..Had worse.." I breathed.  
Zoro huffed in annoyance.

"Which room can we use?" I faintly heard him ask.  
"There's a very comfortable one upstairs. Are you sure he doesn't need a doctor? That wound looks very serious."  
I remember fisting the swordsman's shirt as I shook my head.

"No doctors.." I whispered as I felt something very fluffy and comfortable at my back.  
I released Zoro's shirt to feel the material of the bed instead.

"He doesn't want one. But you're right, that wound looks bad..." He sounded concerned and I grabbed at the blankets as he peeled the lower half of my shirt up.  
"Hey, you got some bandages and something to clean this with?" He mumbled.  
"I'll go get them. Do you want me to help?"

The feel of the material scraping across my wound felt like fire and I flailed around weakly.

"Easy! Kai!" hands gripped my shoulders as the old guy came into the room again.  
"He's delirious. I'll hold him if you can clean it off at least." I heard Zoro say, and I knew somewhere that he was staring at me. Were they going to get a doctor? _I didn't want one!_  
"Hate doctors..." I whispered quietly and the swordsman's grip eased a bit.

"Kai. We need to clean your wound off. We're going to be very careful, and we aren't going to hurt you." He said in his best calming tone, and I tried to relax.  
"He's calmer now, so hurry up." Zoro gritted out when I stopped resisting.

It stung like sin, I remember that much. But when it was over and I had been bandaged, I grabbed at Zoro's haramaki weakly. He stared down at me and sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed.  
"You really don't like doctors huh." he said, looking out the window. I regained a shred of my lucidity, though I had a feeling I wouldn't remember this conversation.

"Used to be a gladiator." I murmured, and that was all I needed to say for Zoro's eyes to shoot to mine with understanding.

Gladiators were often forced to fight in arena tournaments or as bodyguards for important personnel. It also wasn't a profession anyone went into willingly. As a throwaway unit, gladiators were not offered the best of medical care, often only healed enough to keep fighting but never enough to fix. This was called 'surface healing' and was more of a torture method than anything else.

Zoro looked out the window again.

"How long?" he asked slowly, not turning to face me.  
"Don't wanna know.." I mumbled, my eyes heavy. He bit back a scathing comment in favor of running a hand through his hair.

He stood and walked to the door, but turned to glance at me before he left.  
"We won't throw you away."

* * *

I awoke just in time for the house to fall apart.

"Kai!"

I jerked, surprised, as Zoro rushed into the room and pulled me off of the bed, blankets and all.  
"Zoro, what are you.." I began to say as he hefted me and dove down the stairs.  
"Shut up!" He yelled as he hit the ground.

An explosion ripped through the second story of the house where I had been sleeping moments before, and the walls caved in on us. Zoro hunched over me as debris rained down, and a huge piece of timber smacked him solidly upside the head.

"That was the most god awful alarm clock I have ever had." I said dryly, cocking my eyebrow at him. Zoro snorted at my joke and pushed the pieces of wall off of us.

Zoro! Kai! Are you alive?" Luffy's voice floated over.

Zoro groaned and sat up, feeling the lump on his head gently.

"Yea...That was a bad way to wake up." I called back, feeling dizzy.  
"What a relief..." said Luffy.  
"And..just how did you survive that..." Nami stammered at us, looking rather disturbed.

"This doesn't feel right...I can't let pirates trample all over this town again!" the mayor was saying.

I was trying to disentangle myself from the blankets.  
"It's like an unsolvable puzzle..." I said, frustrated. Zoro smirked as he continued to rub the knot on his head.

"For this stupid pirate to come out of nowhere, he has no right to trample on this town we built!"  
"Huuuu, the mayor is so passionate." I said, stopping my war with the blankets for a moment to admire the metaphorical flames of manliness the old guy was exuding.

"I AM THE CHIEF! I WON'T LET THE TOWN BE TREATED LIKE THIS!" He shouted, and I tilted my head.  
"He's going to do something stupid isn't he..." I said to myself.

"ALRIGHT! I'M GOING TO FIGHT!" yelled the old man.  
"Called it" I muttered.

"W-wait a minute!" Nami exclaimed, trying to hold him back.  
"Let go of me!"  
"Those people are dangerous! Why are you being so reckless?"

He turned, and there was moisture in his eyes.  
"I KNOW IT'S RECKLESS!" he shouted, and ran off.  
"JUST YOU WAIT, BUGGY THE CLOWN!"

Nami stared after him. "He..was crying.." she said softly.  
"Oh really? I didn't see anything." Luffy said with a smile as the three of us exchanged glances.

"This is getting pretty fun." Zoro said with a grin.  
"I agree." I said as Luffy laughed.

Nami glared at him. "How can you be laughing about this?" she said woefully.  
"Don't worry. I won't let that guy die." Luffy said with a determined look on his face.  
"Where the hell do you get that crazy confidence?" She asked with a glare.

I got to my feet as Luffy gave her a happy-go-lucky smile, completely ignoring her question.

"We're going to Grand Line. And now we're going to go take that map back." He said as he held out his hand to her.  
"Will you join us? You need the map too.." He said, and I grinned.

Nami stared at Luffy seriously for a moment.

"I'm not going to become a pirate." she said, slapping his hand. "But instead of being partners, we'll co-operate. We'll help each other achieve our goals." She said seriously.

Luffy walked off as Zoro and I followed.

"You're going too? What about your injury?" she asked me curiously.  
I grinned as Zoro tied a bandanna around his head.

"That's all healed up." I said with a smile.  
"Yea right." Nami muttered.  
"More importantly, all you did in that last fight was get hurt." Zoro teased, amused.  
"Hey, that hurts." I complained.

"Shall we go then?" the swordsman asked Luffy, ignoring my protests.  
"Yea, lets go." the captain said.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey, how come we always arrive just in time to save someone?" I asked Zoro as I crossed my arms.

We had arrived just in time for Luffy to separate Buggy's hand from the old man's neck.

"I kept my promise...I'm here to beat you!" He said with a smirk.

_I thought he was an idiot but he can be dangerous too._

"So you've come without any fear of your own will? YOU'RE ALL SO DEAD!" Buggy yelled.

"Listen, I don't care if you all fight or not, I'm just here for the map and the treasure." said Nami, waving a finger at Zoro, who just rolled his eyes and smirked.  
"I know."

The mayor got off the ground and glared at us.

"You...What did you come back for? Stay out of this! This is my fight!" He yelled.  
I glanced at Zoro, who shrugged.

"I'm the one who will protect this town! Don't interfere!" the mayor yelled.

I patted him on the shoulder, and as he turned to look at me, shoved his face into a wall with enough force to knock him out.

"WHAT?" Nami shrieked, and Zoro stared at me as Luffy nodded.  
"YOU IDIOT! The HELL was that for?" Nami yelled at me as I examined my fingernails.

"He would have gotten in the way." I said as I looked at her, bored, and Zoro gave me an approving look.  
"Smart. If we had left him alone, he would have charged in. He's safer this way." He said, and I smiled.

"HEY! YOU WITH THE HUGE RED UGLY NOSE!" Luffy yelled up at the building.

_That's our captain for ya._

The pirates stared in shock. Nami shrieked, Zoro's eyes bugged out. I picked some wax out of my ear.

"HOW CAN YOU BE SO CALM?" Nami screamed at me.  
"Because I had a good sleep until that very nasty wake up call." I replied, fiddling with my headband.

"FIRE THE BUGGY SPECIAL CANNONBALL!" yelled Buggy, looking furious.  
"Are you trying to get yourself killed, idiot?" screeched Nami at Luffy as she dived out of the way.  
Zoro tugged on Luffy's arm to try to get him to move.  
"Dodge it Luffy!" He yelled.

Luffy stood his ground and grinned dangerously. "Did you think I'd move because of a cannonball?"  
He took a deep breath of air, and his stomach swelled up.

"RUBBER BALLOON!" He shouted, and the cannon bounced off his stomach back at the pirates.

I clapped my hands in approval as the bar collapsed.  
Zoro put a hand over his face, making the shadows around his eyes even deeper.

"Could have said something sooner..." he groaned, and I shrugged.  
"Well, he obviously had a plan.."

Zoro glared at me and I smiled brilliantly.  
"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" he stated.

Luffy put a hand on his hat and smiled.  
"Hey! Their numbers have decreased! Shall we start?"  
"Well, so much for blowing us up..." muttered Zoro as we stood there looking at the broken remains of the building.

Nami was staring at us in disbelief, opening and closing her mouth.

"Hey. You look like a freshly landed fish." I commented. She punched me in the arm and I winced.  
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU?" she shouted.  
"Ow."

_Dear god, was her vocal setting only on 'Loud and Obnoxious?'_

"I don't understand this at all. You! You got stabbed in the stomach and sleep for a few hours and you're fine!" she said, pointing at me and I blinked.  
"Isn't that how everyone does it?" I said, with the sole intention of making her face do that weird thing again where she looked like she was going to either cry or punch something.  
"And you!" she had turned her attention to Luffy.

"You got smashed through a house fighting that lion earlier! And how the hell did you swell up like a balloon?" she cried.  
Luffy crossed his arms over his chest.

"Rubber Balloon!" he said confidently.  
"I wasn't asking you for the name..." she groaned.  
"What's this about fighting a lion?" I perked up.

"HAHAHA!"

We turned to the smoking ruins of the building as a few shapes came into view.  
"You all chatting there like you aren't scared..."

I recognized the voice as Buggy's. He was holding up his crew members in front of him, and a thin man to his side was holding up a lion.

"This is the biggest disgrace we've received since we became pirates, captain." the thin man was saying as he tossed the lion aside.  
Buggy crossed his arms over his chest, looking down.  
"I'm so mad, words fail me.."

I found myself angry and glanced over at Zoro, who had a hard expression on his face. Luffy too, looked equally unforgiving.

_How dare they use their crew as shields?_

A board moved, and a strange man stood up from the wreckage.  
"Damnit, I was unconscious...what the hell is this?" He coughed as he got to his feet.  
I gaped.

_He had...two sets of ears? The __**HELL?**_

The thin man simply looked over at him.  
"Mohji, you're still alive..." He said lightly.  
Mohji glared at the thin man.

"Cabaji!" He exclaimed. _Must be the thin man's name_.  
"What did you do to Richie?"

Cabaji barely looked surprised.__

Soooo Richie is the lion?

"Oh, this kitten? I was worried my clothes might get dirty, so I used him for a shield." He said as Mohji hurried to his pet's side.  
Cabaji turned a glare onto the two and the lion hid behind a pile of rubble.  
Mohji spun to face Cabaji angrily.

"You bastard..." He started to say as his eyes landed on Luffy.  
His eyes widened and he scrambled backward.

"AAAH! The guy with the straw hat! Be careful of him captain! He's a rubberman!"  
"So that's why he was able to bounce back the Buggy ball. But if you already knew that...WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO?" Buggy screeched, sending the man flying towards us.

"MOVE!" he screamed as he flew towards us.  
I smiled, falling into stance.

"You move!" I said cheerfully as I delivered a mighty uppercut to him as he sped past.  
"The fight has begun!" declared Luffy as Nami was forced to leap over the speeding man.

"Cabaji the Acrobat! I'll avenge the pain you've caused my crew!" yelled the thin man as he pedaled toward me on a unicycle, his sword out.

**CLANG**

I blinked to see Zoro blocking Cabaji's sword easily as he stepped in front of me.

"If it's swords, I'm all for it." He said, placing his white sword in his mouth, and Cabaji smirked.  
"It is an honor, Roronoa Zoro. As a swordsman I get to slay you."  
They glared at each other for a few moments.

"Fire Trick." Cabaji said, and a spurt of fire came from his mouth at Zoro's face. Our swordsman was forced to dodge it, leaving his side open, and Cabaji swept in for a kick at that instant.  
Zoro dodged backwards and the two combatants circled each other like alley cats, minus the hissing and spitting.

Cabaji slammed his sword into the ground, and spun it around.

"Murder mist!" He said, kicking up a cloud of dust.  
"Some mist." muttered Zoro, sounding rather disappointed. Cabaji emerged suddenly with a downward slash that Zoro easily blocked with one sword.  
Zoro smirked.

"That all you've got?" He asked callously as he slashed at the acrobat, forcing him to dodge away. The acrobat threw some spinning tops at Zoro, who sliced through them all easily.

As he was doing that, however, Cabaji raced for a section of the wall next to me. I dodged away as he cycled up the side and vaulted off the top.

I noticed Buggy doing something with his arm, and palmed my throwing knives in an instant as Cabaji thrust downwards towards Zoro.

"Cabaji! I'll hold him down, so you finish him off!" Buggy yelled as his hands shot out low, grabbing for Zoro's ankles.  
"You bastard!"  
"Yes Captain!"

My interference was happily unneeded as Luffy stomped on Buggy's hand, and I leaned against the wall, grinning.

"Don't interfere with Zoro's fight." said Luffy with a dangerous smile, and Zoro grinned.

"Even without the captain's help, finishing you will be easy!" yelled Cabaji as he slammed into the ground where Zoro had been seconds before.  
I raised an eyebrow.

"Really? It looked like you were losing to me." I muttered to myself.  
Zoro kicked out, knocking Cabaji off his little bike.

"I'm tired being the opponent of someone with such pathetic skill." He stated coldly.

Cabaji sprang to his feet and rushed towards Zoro. "Well let me finish you off with my real skill then!" he shouted.  
Zoro fell into stance very calmly.

"Oni..." He grunted, breathing in as Cabaji ran into his strike zone.

"...GIRI!" He struck with all three swords and Cabaji spurted blood.

"Damnit! At the hands of a common thief..." he gasped as he fell to the ground.  
Zoro pulled his bandana off his head slowly.  
"Not a common thief..But a pirate!" He said, walking over towards me.

I frowned.

"There's no one for me to fight now..." I said, half upset.

Zoro sat down against the wall and leaned his swords against his shoulder.  
"Hey Luffy...I'm going to sleep now," He called out, and Luffy nodded.

"Yea..get some sleep. I'll finish this off."

I leaned against the wall to watch the show.


	5. Chapter 5

"You guys are pirates?" said Buggy with a jerk.

_Ha, not expecting that, big nose?_

Zoro was well and good asleep, and I hadn't seen Nami for a while now. Luffy grinned as he faced off against the red-nose.  
"Yea! Give us the map to Grand Line!"

"He's not going to give it to us just because you asked for it, boss." I called out.  
"Exactly! Grand Line isn't somewhere nameless pirates can just wander into! What are you gonna do there, have a sightseeing tour?"  
"That sounds more like something you would do."  
"I'm gonna be the Pirate King." stated Luffy.

I laughed at Buggy's expression of disbelief.

"Don't joke around!" He shouted, and I held up a finger.  
"He's not joking..." My comment went unheard as the two combatants locked gazes.

"You, become the Pirate King? If that's true then I'm GOD! The person to get his hands on all the world's treasure is ME!" He was actually spitting as he yelled.  
"Ew, gross." I said with a snobbish look as I leaned away from the two fighters.

Luffy planted his feet and cocked his fist.  
"Shut up! Quit lecturing and start fighting! You're being too loud." He said with a grin.

_Huu...so the captain can be cool sometimes._

"Watch your mouth, rubberman!" Buggy said as his eyes landed on Luffy's ever-present hat and darkened ever-so-slightly as they did so.

"That hat reminds me of this stupid red-haired guy I knew a long time ago.." He muttered, and Luffy perked up with a scowl.  
"Red Haired? You know Shanks?" His expression seemed to sharpen and I lifted my eyebrow.

_Who is Shanks?_

Buggy tilted his head in amusement at that reaction. "Hm? Looks like you're interested. Yes, I know him, but why do you want to know?" He asked, his eyes calculating.

Luffy gave him a hard look, ignoring the question.  
"Where is he now?"

Buggy smirked, putting a hand on his chin. "Well, let's see. If I know, then I know. But if I don't know, then I don't have any idea at all..." He said and my eyes narrowed as I crossed my arms over my chest.

Luffy however, dealt with the insult in his usual way.  
"What are you talking about? Are you an idiot?"  
"YOU'RE THE IDIOT!"

Buggy took a breath to calm down. "I'm saying that I'm not nice enough to just tell you that kind of information, not even if it's your dying wish." He said, brandishing knives between each finger.  
Luffy looked almost happy as he grabbed his right arm.

"Then I'll beat it out of you!" He said with a grin.  
"Hey are you guys going to fight or not.." I asked, bored with the whole fiasco.

Buggy paid me no mind, stomping his boots into the ground as some very nasty looking knives shot out of the soles of his shoes.  
"You'll be dead before you can do anything, kid. Even though you're rubber, knives still affect you." He said, and it was the first intelligent thing I'd heard out of him yet.  
"So you DO have a brain." I muttered, once again ignored as Luffy nodded.

"Yup! That's right."

Buggy geared up like he was going to hit a home run in a baseball game, but his lower half shot off of his body.

I blinked as Luffy jumped over the twisting legs, and Buggy grinned, holding up his hands. "Moving anywhere you want in the air is impossible!" He yelled, and my hands instantly went for my handcuffs.

Luffy moved before I could, however, stretching his arm out to grab a pole by the side of the building. He shot towards it, away from the knives that were closing in on him.  
"So you can move like that? How interesting!" complimented Buggy.  
Luffy grinned and his arm flew towards Buggy's face.  
"You're an interesting person too!" he replied.

Buggy dodged to the side as Luffy's fist went sailing past his face, and turned to examine the stretched arm.

"It's a nice ability, but..." He began, and stabbed downwards towards Luffy's arm. "An arm stretched to it's limit is full of openings!" he yelled, not noticing as Luffy grabbed a pole behind him and shot forward, his other arm held out in a perfect clotheslining position. Buggy's head popped off his shoulder just in time as Luffy swept through where he had been seconds before.

Buggy laughed as Luffy went careening into a building, smashing it up.

"You aren't much of a threat, rubberman." he taunted and I tugged my headband down as I glared at him.  
"Hey!" yelled Luffy as he emerged from the building. "You're annoying. Separating into section after section..." He said angrily.

Buggy shot his forearm at Luffy, who caught it with both hands mere inches from his face. The arm separated though, and Luffy barely dodged the knives held between the fingers. His hat wasn't so fortunate though, and I watched, interested, as my easy going captain grew seriously pissed.

"You..bastard..." Luffy ground out, and Buggy chuckled.  
"Mad that your face is scarred up?"

Luffy gave him a fearsome stare. "How DARE you mess up this hat?" he snarled, in more of a rage than I had ever seen, or thought possible for him.

Buggy's face fell.  
"What."

_Wasn't expecting that, were you?_

"THIS HAT IS MY TREASURE! I WON'T FORGIVE ANYONE WHO MESSES WITH THIS HAT!"

I started as I noticed Nami peering around from a building.  
"Idiot woman..." I groaned as I dropped my duffel bag.

"If your hat is so precious to you, protect it properly!" Buggy was shouting, and I looked over barely in time to see one of his hands slice through Luffy's hat.  
If I thought Luffy was mad before, was_ I _ever wrong.

He was shaking with anger, and in that moment I really was glad that I wasn't Buggy.  
"THAT'S THE HAT SHANKS GAVE ME!" Luffy screamed, lunging forward.

Buggy tossed the hat on the ground and spit on it. "This is Shank's hat? No wonder it looked so familiar. He and I used to be pirate trainees together." He said as he faced Luffy, who was readying his fist.  
"Shanks was my hero...and you say you're his friend?" my captain hissed, and Buggy's head popped off as Luffy rammed his foot into the man's stomach. Buggy flew backward and I blinked.

_Fuck, _boss. You're stronger than I thought.

Luffy stood over Buggy, heaving as he picked up his hat.

"How dare you treat this hat like this...You even spit on it!" he yelled, rubbing the spit off onto Buggy's face. He replaced the hat on his head and grabbed Buggy's cheeks, pulling at them rather painfully.  
"Shanks being your friend...don't you EVER say those words again." He growled.

Buggy tried to talk with his mouth stretched out, and I leaned against a wall to relax.  
"I don't know what kind of relationship you had with Shanks but I'll say whatever I like about him." the pirate captain retorted as he began to move around. Luffy karate chopped him in the head.  
"Stay still!" he commanded as Buggy grabbed his head with tears in his eyes.

I was developing a deep respect for Luffy. I had thought the kid was an idiot, but he was turning out to be slightly more ferocious than I had expected.

Noticing some movement from the far end of the street, I saw Nami stealing away. I glanced at the squabbling pair and decided they wouldn't notice me as I slipped away.

* * *

As I snuck around behind a building, I ran into the cat burglar, who almost fell over in shock.

"What are you doing over here?" she hissed up at me, and I held my hands out in a placating gesture.  
"Making sure you don't get your ass handed to you by any pirates." I said comfortably as I fell into step next to her.  
"And just how are you going to protect anyone with a hole in your stomach?" she snipped.

I put my hands behind my head and looked up at the sky for a moment. "I protected Zoro, didn't I?" I pointed out as I glanced back down at her.  
She stared at me as I kept walking.

"Well...that's..." she stammered, and I merely grinned.

She gave me a faint smile and held up some lockpicks. "Want me to get those off for you?" she asked, motioning towards my handcuffs.

I shook my head, putting my arms out in front of me. "I can take them off myself anytime I want to." I explained.  
She gave me a funny look and began to work on a heavily bolted door.

"So you wear them by choice? How stupid." she scoffed, and I raised an eyebrow as she jimmied the door open and slipped inside.  
"It's not like that." I said as I followed her and leaned against the wall while she started gathering up treasure into a large sack and grabbed a map, stuffing it into her shirt.  
"Well why are you doing it then?" she asked, and I stared at my hands.

"I wear them because they limit me, give me a handicap." I admitted.  
"That's a stupid reason." she said, hefting the bag over her shoulder.

I pushed off the wall and took the bag from her easily, shouldering it as I looked down at her.

"It's _not _a stupid reason." I said quietly, and she shut up. We exited the building, and began to walk away when we heard a shout.

"I'LL NEVER LET YOU LEAVE ALIVE!"

I looked over my shoulder to see Buggy's top half flying towards us, knives extended, and Nami jerked slightly.  
"Crap, he noticed us." she stuttered. Luffy looked on as I tensed my body, ready to grab Nami and run.

"You thought you could fool me, Nami? I'll send you to hell!" Buggy said dangerously, and I pulled Nami to me by the waist.  
"That's our cue to leave." I said, and she struggled, worming away from me.  
"Hey! What are you doing? Put me down!" she exclaimed.  
"I'm getting you out of here. If I can't fight in my condition, I can protect." I hissed, and she tried to see over my shoulder, accidentally ramming her arm into my stomach as she did so.

_Okay, how about you __**not **__do that again._

I let Nami surge away as I took several deep breaths, and Buggy let out a strangled cry. Nami yanked the treasure out of my hands and I scowled.

"Damn you, rubberman.." Buggy whined, and I glanced over my shoulder to see Luffy standing over Buggy's lower half.  
"Your opponent is still me." my captain said, his hat shadowing his eyes for a second before he looked over at us.

"Nami, put the treasure down and get out of here!" He ordered, and Nami glared daggers at him.

"Why should I put my treasure down!" she yelled, and Buggy twitched.  
"Your treasure?" he asked scathingly. She shook a fist at him as her voice gained strength.  
"Of course! I'm a thief who steals from pirates, and I just stole your treasure! That makes it mine!" she said and I pinched the bridge of my nose, realizing the headache there for what it meant.  
An extremely well suppressed murderous intent.

"Now is not the time for this..." I muttered.

Luffy smacked his fist into his open hand. "Oh! I see."

_NO! NO YOU DON'T!_

"Bullshit! That treasure is mine! You think if you steal it then it's yours? Whoever raised you was an idiot!" Buggy yelled, and I noticed Nami twitch.  
"Hey, shut up." I growled, suddenly angry at Buggy.

Nami brushed the comment off and took a step forward. "A lecture from a bad guy? Don't make me laugh." She said, sticking her tongue out at him. "I haven't done anything bad enough to deserve a lecture from a pirate."

Buggy's face grew grim as he stood up.  
"Kai!" yelled Luffy.

I touched my hand to my forehead briefly.

"You got it, boss." I said before dashing to Nami. Her eyes went wide as she realized what I was going to do.  
"H-hey! Knock it off!" she exclaimed as I picked her up, bag of treasure and all.  
"Captain's orders."

"You can't get away!" Buggy yelled, and I smirked as I tapped my foot once against the ground.  
"I can't?" I asked as I launched off the ground.

Nami was staring as we covered ground very fast, with Buggy's pieces a few feet behind.

"How are you moving so fast?"  
"Practice."  
"THAT'S NOT AN ANSWER!"

I stumbled as my wound began to bleed again.  
"Tch..."  
"Stop you idiot!" she yelled at me.

Buggy thought she was talking to him, however.

"The one who's going to stop is you.." he growled, grabbing one of my arms as I lost my grip on Nami. She managed to duck and roll as I clenched my fist and spun to face Buggy.  
"Kai!" shrieked Nami and I looked over my shoulder in time to see Buggy's other arm flying towards my gut again.

I let out a strangled yelp as he punched me in the stab wound, and dropped like a stone.

"I told you...YOUR OPPONENT IS ME!" shouted Luffy angrily, and he leaped over me to kick Buggy in the face. Buggy's head went flying and smashed into the bag Nami had been carrying, sending treasure flying everywhere.

Luffy looked proud as he stood over the downed pirate captain and he held out his hand to me and smiled.  
"Thanks for saving my skin, boss." I said.  
"Don't worry about it!" He replied, helping me up.

Nami made her way over to us, and Luffy perked up as he saw her.  
"Oh yea, the map..."

"My treasure got scattered everywhere!" Nami said to me as she jabbed a finger in my direction.  
I blinked owlishly, pushing the offending digit out of my face.  
"Uh...sorry?"

Nami huffed in exasperation, then fished the map out of her shirt and handed it to Luffy.  
"Here."

He grabbed it like it was a glass of ice water in the middle of a desert.  
"Awesome! I've finally got it! A map to Grand Line!" he said happily.  
"Hey, rubberman." came Buggy's voice, and we turned.

_Why couldn't this guy just quit already? _

"Eh, you're still alive?" asked Luffy and I almost slapped my hand into my face.

_Do we really think that much alike?_

"I'll kill you once and for all! Gather up, parts!" Buggy shouted, and suddenly became very_..short?_

"You wouldn't be looking for these, would you?"

I turned to Nami, who was standing on a pile of tied up body parts that were wriggling about.

"Hey, not bad!" I complimented as I gripped my side, and Luffy laughed.  
"That's a cool trick!" He said, stretching his arms out behind him.

Buggy's eyes grew wide and he started to back up a bit.  
"Hey wait hold o..."

"Leave the rest to me!" Luffy said with that dangerous smile.  
"RUBBER BAZOOKA!"

I shaded my eyes with my hand as Buggy went flying through the air.  
"10 points, captain."

He laughed and pumped his arms above his head.

"Victory!"

* * *

Nami picked up her bag of treasure and Luffy looked over his shoulder at her.

"So, you're gonna be our navigator, right?" he said cheerfully, and she huffed.  
"I'll help you guys out for now, since it seems like I'll be able to earn a lot with you around." She relented as she nuzzled the bag of treasure.

_Geez, obsessed much?_

"Buggy said that he only took the best treasure for himself, so this has to be full of high quality items! It's got to be worth at least 10 million Beli!" she cast a glance in my direction as she said this.

_Did she say that on purpose or am I just paranoid?_

Luffy walked along the road and stopped to pick up his broken hat as I leaned against the wall next to Zoro, who was still sleeping. He gave the hat a despondent look and placed it on his head as his fingers trailed over the areas it had been sliced.

"I've divided the treasure into two bags! You carry one and I'll carry the other, since they're so heavy." Nami trailed off as she watched Luffy feel the cuts on his hat. "That hat...it's really important to you isn't it?" she asked carefully. Luffy grinned, but his eyes were shaded as he responded.

"Yea...but it's alright. I feel better now that I got rid of Buggy." he said as he plopped down next to Zoro and began to pat the swordsman's head.  
"Oi, Zoro. Wake up." He said, and Zoro opened his eyes slowly.  
"Hmm?"  
"Let's go."

Zoro sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.  
"Did you finish the fight?" he asked, placing his swords in his haramaki. Luffy nodded and I snorted derisively.

"Would we wake you if he didn't?" I asked as I leaned heavily against the wall.

"We got the map and the treasure!" said Luffy as Zoro stood up.  
"Huuu..." I let out a breath of air as Zoro cocked his eyebrow at me.

"Did something stupid, shitty fighter?"  
"Shut up."

"I'm surprised he can even walk in his condition!" commented Nami, and I glared at her half heartedly.  
"That's not entirely fair.."  
"You're so wierd!"

Luffy looked over his shoulder at Mayor Boodle.

"Oh yea! I'll go wake him up.." he said, beginning to walk over to the man.  
"You.."

We turned to face the new voice, and found ourselves face to face with the townspeople.

"We live here."

_Well, **DUH.**_

"Did the pirates fight among themselves? Is there anything you can tell us?" they asked, and Nami's eyes brightened.  
"Oh! you're the townspeople! I think some of the pirate crew are still here." she said, and placed a finger to her forehead in consternation. "There's not a whole lot left to tell you..." she muttered.

One of the people pointed behind us.

"MAYOR!"  
The crowd rushed past us to care for their leader and I grinned.

"Ah...Sorry!" I called, and they turned to look at us suspiciously. "I did that!" I said brightly.

Zoro snorted in laughter and Nami freaked out.

"WHY WOULD YOU TELL THEM THAT?" she shrieked.  
"You saw me do it too.." I deadpanned.  
"I know but still! You had a good reason!" she hissed as the townspeople turned on us.  
"It doesn't matter what reason you had!"  
"Are you pirates?"

Luffy grinned and placed a hand on his hat. "Yep! We're pirates!"

Nami almost fell over while Zoro and I started laughing.

"IDIOT!" Nami was shouting.  
"But it's true!" was Luffy's only comeback.

Zoro pulled me over his shoulder as Luffy started running.

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU MAKE THE SITUATION WORSE?" Nami was still screaming.  
"Oi...she's loud..." I hissed and Zoro bit back a snort of laughter.

"They're good people." Luffy said simply.  
"What?"

"For their mayor, just one person, they're all getting so mad. No matter what excuse we give they'll still be angry with us!" He said with a grin, and dodged into an alleyway.

**WOOF**

The little white dog from earlier stood it's ground in the alleyway as we leaped over it (_or were dragged, in my case._)  
"You helping us? Thanks, Shushu!" called Luffy as we made our getaway.

* * *

"Ugh! I was getting pretty worried..but at least we got away!" said Nami as we reached the docks. "Why does it always end up like this?" she asked, mostly to herself.

Luffy placed a hand on his hat. "Well, it doesn't matter what they think! We did what we came here to do!" he said, and I glared at him from over Zoro's shoulder.

"Captain..you came here because you tried to catch a bird out of the sky." I grunted, and pointed at Zoro and myself. "WE came here because we were making sure you didn't end up as some bird's lunch."  
Zoro's shoulders shook as he laughed at the statement.  
"Pretty much.."

We walked up to our dinghy, which was flanked by a nice looking yacht.

"Oooo...this is your ship?" asked Luffy as he admired it. "It's so cool!"  
Nami shook her head.

"I don't think so. I stole it from a bunch of stupid pirates."

_Stole it from pirates?_

"WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU, THIEF!"

I looked up to see the pirate idiot trio on the boat that Nami had claimed.

"Hey, aren't they.." I began. Zoro nodded and stepped forward as they noticed us, fixing them with his best glare.

"Get lost."

They shrieked like little girls and jumped into the sea, swimming away as fast as they possibly could, and I blinked.

"That... was surprisingly easy." I said as Zoro hefted me into the boat with little effort.  
"Just sit down and shut up." He said as he settled himself in.

Nami jumped into her boat and we started to set off.

"That ship has Buggy's mark on it!" exclaimed Luffy, and Nami leaned over the side of her ship.  
"Well, it was one of their boats, so of course it does. I can erase it later though." she said as we cast off.

"STOP RIGHT THERE, YOU MORONS!"  
I lifted my head up to see the mayor standing on the dock, glaring at us. His expression suddenly turned happy though.

"SORRY!" He called out. "I OWE YOU!"  
We grinned at that, and I closed my eyes again.

"Don't worry about it!" replied Luffy as he waved.

* * *

"WHAT? YOU LEFT THE TREASURE BEHIND?"

Nami the banshee was making a ruckus again.

"THAT WAS 5 MILLION BELI!"

Luffy only gave her a rather..neutral glance, as if he didn't know what she was talking about.

"So? The town was really badly damaged, they'll need that to rebuild."  
"IT WAS MY TREASURE!"

Zoro and I looked at each other before bursting into laughter as Nami held Luffy's head over the side of the boat, and he started flailing wildly.  
"What are you doing! Stop! I can't swim! If you want it that bad just go get it back!"  
"HOW COULD I? IF YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN YOU ARE SO DEAD!"

She released Luffy and he turned to glare at me and Zoro, who were still snorting in the back of the boat.  
"You're laughing at me!"

It only made us laugh harder as we sped away from the small island. I wiped a tear away from my eye and calmed down a bit as I grew drowsy.

"Hey, Kai." I looked up at Luffy and tilted my head to the side.

_What's up?_

"You're bleeding again." He pointed out.

I lifted my hand that had been holding my side and blinked when I saw it was covered in blood.  
"Guess I am." I said lamely.

"This is all because you were an idiot and didn't listen to a word I had to say!" Nami chastised me as she stormed over and I tried to scramble away from her. My head hit the side of the boat though, hindering my escape, and she sat on my legs.

"You aren't going anywhere until I clean that out properly!" she hissed as she yanked my shirt up to see the wound, and my eyes widened as I bucked around, trying to get her off of me.

_Hey, don't yank my shirt up so high..._

"H-hey! Knock it off! Just let me sleep!" I panicked.  
"Nope." She said as the wound started to throb again and I fell back with a bit-off curse.

"See! I told you so! Now just let me take a look!"

Her eyes widened as she saw scar marks stretching down to either side of my hips. She gave me a shocked look as I fell back with a groan.

"What the hell happened here?" She snapped, and I glared at her.  
"Nothing you need to worry about!" I hissed, and we had a glaring battle until she returned to the task at hand.

After a few minutes of poking around and telling me to _stop squirming damnit!_ she sat back and I glared at her from under my headband.

"Are you done messing with it yet?" I hissed, and she fixed me with a **shut-the-fuck-up** look.  
"It's not as bad as it looks, or probably feels. I don't think you got hit in anything really major." she said slowly as I tried to twist away from her and she pushed me back down into the boat.  
"What NOW?"

"I need to stitch it shut." She said.

I could practically feel the blood draining out of my face.

"Hey cool! I didn't know your face could turn that color!" said Luffy, crouching down next to Nami.  
"That's going to hurt like a bitch." I ground out and for half a second I contemplated jumping into the water to escape.

_Nevermind the fact that I couldn't swim._

"I didn't know you were so scared of something so small." she said with a cold look, and I fixed her with my scariest glare.  
"I didn't say that. If you have to do it then hurry up and get it over with." I spat, clutching my side.

If looks could kill, Nami would have murdered me several times over by now.

I sighed as she got ready to stitch it up, not really comfortable with the idea.  
"Quit squirming or I'll have Zoro hold you down while I take care of this." Nami chastised.

"He just might have to anyway. Either that or you can knock me out. You've probably never gotten a wound stitched up before, but it's excruciating as hell, Nami." I growled angrily as I tried to relax. She was pouring water over the area to clean it and my eyes dilated in pain and I flinched as the salt water hit the open stab.

"Zoro." Nami said sternly as I winced.  
"Hm?"

"I need you to hold his shoulders down. If he's flinching like this just from cleaning it then it's going to be worse when I actually start stitching it up." she said and Zoro let out a sigh as he knelt down next to me and put his hands on my upper arms, holding them down to the deck.

"Relax, Kai." He commanded and I tried to do so, knowing it would hurt worse if I resisted.

The first stitch stung like a_ bitch._

I bit my lip so hard it nearly bled in order to not yell, and scrunched my eyes up. I tried to focus on something else, anything else, and found some solace in the actual motion of the boat. After the whole process was done and the stitches were bandaged up, I didn't move from my spot on the deck, panting.

Zoro was staring at me strangely and I glared at him.

"What?" I hissed through the pain.  
"Nothing. Just sleep, shitty fighter."


	6. Chapter 6

"IT'S FIXED!" cheered Luffy and I glanced up at him from where I was cleaning my daggers.

"That's nice captain." I said off-handedly as I frowned at a particular speck on the blade.

"All I did was sew it back together. Try not to poke it too much.." Nami was saying as she put away her needle and thread. Luffy held out the hat and grinned at it as he began to do exactly that.  
"Right, Right! You did a great job!" He said as he jabbed his finger into said hat repeatedly.

I lifted my eyebrow as his finger punched straight through the top of the hat.  
"That would be your fault.." I offered with a shrug as Nami snapped and lunged at Luffy with the needle still in her hand.

"DIDN'T YOU LISTEN TO ME AT ALL?" she shrieked. Luffy screamed as the needle jammed into his forehead and he jerked away.  
"STOP POKING ME WITH THAT! IT HURTS!" he whined, covering his head with his hand.

I hummed tunelessly as I scrubbed the speck out of my dagger's blade, and started to work on the next one while Nami faced off with Luffy.

"It's useless if I hit you, so I HAVE to use a needle!"  
"Oh!" said Luffy, putting his hands on his hips. "That makes sense!" A tiny stream of blood started flowing down his face and I groaned at their stupidity.

"You guys are too noisy, I can't sleep with you hollering." Zoro grumbled, sitting up from where he had been napping while rubbing his eyes.

Luffy ignored him in favor of listening to his stomach.  
"I'm hungry!" He said and I looked over at Nami expectantly, who glared at me for a second.  
"What?"

I put on my best innocent face. "Share some food with us?" I asked sweetly, and she rolled her eyes at my tone.

"Oh, please! You three need to be more prepared!" She scolded as she rummaged around in her boat. "You don't bring any food or water...You guys underestimate the ocean." She finished, handing me a couple pieces of meat.

"I underestimate nothing." I scoffed as I handed a few pieces to Zoro and Luffy, who was looking at something off in the distance.  
"Hey, I see something." He said as he ripped into his food.

Nami shook her head as I finished eating the meat and sighed. "It's a miracle you've survived up until now." She said absentmindedly.

I ignored her in favor of continuing to polish my daggers, and Zoro merely snorted at her.  
"There's always a way." He said as he popped a piece of meat into his mouth.

"Hey, there's an island!" exclaimed Luffy, and I put my daggers away very delicately.  
Nami got out her telescope and looked through it for a moment.

"That island is useless. It's unpopulated, so lets keep moving." She said.

Luffy had other plans however, and grabbed the oars, rowing with a gusto. "Hey, lets see if we can find someone to join our crew there!" He said with a grin.  
"WAIT!" Nami shrieked at us.

Zoro planted his boots on the side of the boat and used his hands as a cushion for his head. "Sure. We should find some food too." He said, and suddenly looked thoughtful. "You know, Nami was right. We don't seem to have any plans, do we?" He said with a grin, and I snorted in laughter as I took off my handcuffs and placed them in the bag. Nami was muttering something about airheaded idiots and swordsmen.  
"You just now realizing that?" I teased.

Zoro stared at me for a second, and I was confused.

_Do I have something on my face?_

"What?"  
"I've never seen you take your handcuffs off."  
"Oh." I said casually, and stretched my arms out to the sides as I began to remove my bandages very carefully.

"If you can take them off, why did you wear them when you were injured?" the swordsman asked, training one eye on me.  
Luffy frowned a little and leaned over.

"Yea. Wouldn't you have been able to move better?" He asked seriously. I shrugged as I put the dirty bandages in a separate pocket in my bag.  
"You didn't ask me to." I said simply.

"Pfff."

I glanced over at Nami, who was glaring at me.

"What?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.  
She shook her head.

"Nothing."

I stared at her for a moment before burrowing down into my corner of the boat.  
"M' going to sleep now." I said, and drifted off.

* * *

I awoke a short time later feeling much more rested and relaxed. I stretched, enjoying the sunshine and hummed to myself. It was short lived as something blocked out the precious sunlight and I grumpily opened one eye.

"GAH!"

In all honesty, I hadn't been expecting Luffy to be _quite_ that close to my face when I woke up.

"Kai's awake!" He announced as I rubbed the lump on my head. I lifted his leg quickly, and he was unable to compensate and fell back into the boat.  
"Yes...I'm awake now..." I groused as I pulled myself into a seated position.

_Hadn't we been going to an island? _

I turned my gaze to Nami. "Did we miss that island?"  
"No, you were sleeping when we landed there." She said absent-mindedly.

I looked over at Zoro, who shrugged casually.

"You didn't miss much." He said, resting an arm on his knee, and Luffy frowned.  
"That's not true. Kai didn't get to meet Uncle Cabbage!" He said as I rested my head on the side of the boat and closed my eyes.  
"Uncle...Cabbage? Captain, are you sure you're not delirious with hunger?" I asked, and Zoro chuckled.  
"No! He lives in a treasure chest!" Luffy insisted.  
"You don't have a fever, do you?" I asked as I opened my eyes and almost had a heart attack.

Luffy was sitting on the prow of the ship, just barely suspended over the water. I made a few choking sounds that caught Zoro's attention as I pointed in shock.  
"I'm keeping an eye on him." the swordsman said, raising an eyebrow at me.

_I swear he's a mind reader._

"We really need to plan things more." Nami said out of nowhere.  
"What do you mean?" asked Luffy, distracted by this new topic.  
"Well, are we going to Grand Line like this?" Nami was nonchalantly carrying on the conversation as if he _hadn't_ just been talking about an Uncle Cabbage or whatever.

"Oh, right!" Luffy exclaimed. "Even though Uncle Cabbage gave us plenty of fruit, we don't have any meat!" He said, as if he had just realized this.

_Which he probably had._

"I wasn't talking about the food supplies!" snapped Nami.

Zoro had splayed himself out across the boat, totally relaxed. "We don't have any sake to drink either!" He said with a faraway grin.  
"And rum!" I chimed in, suddenly very pleased with the thought of getting some proper alcohol into my system.

Zoro and I shared a grin at the thought of getting plastered while Nami looked at us like we were idiots.  
"Let's not worry about that just yet."  
"Why not?" I retorted.

_...Dear god I was such an alcoholic._

"Grand Line is the most dangerous place in the world!" Nami said.  
"I agree." I commented darkly.

Zoro was the only one to give me a strange look as Nami continued to talk.

"Every pirate in the world wants to get rich there, but we need a better ship first!" she said, motioning to the dinghy and yacht to emphasize her point. "We're short on crew members and have next to no equipment. No matter how strong you think you might be, we won't be safe." She said seriously.  
I sighed and she glared at me.

"Any objections?"  
I smirked.  
"No, actually. I agree with all of it." I said as Zoro snorted.

"So what do we do?" He asked Nami.

"Well, we need to prepare supplies first, and plan our journey." she said while consulting one of her maps. I noticed a file tucked away amid the rolls of paper and frowned a bit.

_What is that for?_

"There's a town due north. We should head there first." She said and I grinned.  
"I hope they have some rum!"  
"No, we should look for a ship first..."  
"AND EAT SOME MEAT!"  
"And then rum?"

* * *

We brought the boats in and I took a few deep breaths of air. "There really is an island here..." said Luffy.

_You couldn't see it as we rowed in?_

"Well, we followed the map, what did you expect?" Nami said caustically as she examined a trail further ahead.  
"Oh..." Luffy sounded deflated.

I hopped out of the boat as Zoro put the oars away. Luffy had regained his energy and was bouncing around.  
"So is there a town here?" he asked as Nami consulted her map.  
"Looks like it!" she replied.

Zoro got off the boat last and I tied it to a tree next to the shore.

"It's been such a long time since I was on dry land.." I said as I stretched out, noticing Zoro do the same thing out of the corner of my eye.  
"That's because you were sleeping!" Luffy said, and I pouted a bit at that.  
"No more than this guy!" I said defensively, jerking my thumb at Zoro who looked amused.

I dug through my bag, pulling my handcuffs out with a smile, and moved to put them on when I was interrupted.

"Don't put them on."

I stared at Nami for a long moment before my look grew positively _feral._

"**_Excuse_** me?"

She looked taken aback at my venomous tone, but stood her ground. "I said, don't put them on. They attract too much attention, and we don't want to be seen as hostile." She said and I glared down at her, tugging on my headband.

"I don't care if they DO attract attention, it's better for me to wear them than not." I hissed angrily as I crossed my arms over my chest.  
Zoro's eyebrow went up at that.

_Shit. I hadn't meant to say that._

"Why? They're only a handicap, you said so yourself." she argued, and I took several deep breaths trying to calm myself down.  
"I didn't say that was the only reason I wear them." I tried to say reasonably.  
"Then why do you?"

_I can't tell you._

I stormed off, unable to give her an answer that she would accept.  
"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" she yelled, and I glared over my shoulder.

"For a walk. I'm too angry to explain right now. I'll be back in a bit." my voice sounded strangled even to my own ears. I faintly heard Luffy saying that the handcuffs were cool as I walked into the treeline.

The instant I was out of sight of the crew I sat down under a tree and let out a few breaths.

Dear God, what was I supposed to do NOW?  
Don't get me wrong. It's not that I couldn't trust them... I was actually trying to protect them by _not_ saying anything.  
"Hey."

**WHAM!**

By the time Zoro's green hair and haramaki had registered, he had caught my fist expertly in his much larger hand. We stared at each other for a few long moments as his eyebrow slid up his forehead.

_Oh. Shit_.

"That's some insane speed you have. You were up and moving before I even finished saying anything." He made it sound like a compliment as I pulled back and looked away.  
"Sorry." I mumbled, all the anger draining out of me.  
"Don't worry about it."

I leaned against a tree, examining my boots.

"So that's what you meant when you said these were a handicap." he stated.

I looked up as he held out my handcuffs with a solemn look. I glanced away, then took them, slapping them onto my wrists.

"Yea." I replied, feeling more comfortable with the weight on my arms now.  
"Good enough for me." He said as he jerked his head towards where the boats were. "Luffy said that it was fine if you wore them." He offered in way of explanation.

I let out a half hearted chuckle and ran a hand through my hair. "Let me guess, his argument was that they were cool?" I asked wryly, and Zoro just smirked.

* * *

"What? Looking for crew members?" exclaimed Usopp.

Zoro and I had run into him chatting with Nami and Luffy when we had returned. He had the longest nose I had ever seen and curly black hair.

"And a ship!" said Luffy as he ripped into a huge piece of meat.  
"Sounds like a big adventure!" Usopp sighed.

I was happily knocking back a mug of rum.  
"Huuu...that's good stuff." I complimented as I examined the remains of the drink. Zoro was sitting across from me, working on his bottle of sake.

He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Kai...You drink like you want to die."  
"I'll take that as a compliment, thank you."

"There's only one ship in this town. It's not too large but not really small, either." Usopp was saying. Nami's ears perked up at that.  
"Where?"

I eyed her suspiciously.

_What? _I was allowed to be mad. At least I didn't have to explain much of anything now that Luffy had said I could wear my handcuffs whenever. Captain's decision and all that.

"There's a mansion not too far from the town that belongs to a really wealthy family. The ship belongs to the mansions owner." Longnose said while holding up a finger. A slight frown crossed his features. "Well..although we say she's the owner, she's really young. She's always sick, and has to lie in bed every day."

Nami looked surprised. "Then how is she the owner of the mansion?" she asked while Luffy was examining his plate with a slight glare and I noticed it was empty. He ignored longnose's story in favor of waving said plate at the waitress.

"Hey, Ma'am, can I get some more food?"  
"And sake!"  
"And more Rum!"  
"ARE YOU GUYS EVEN PAYING ATTENTION?"

I grinned at him, crossing my arms lazily as I pretended to be very interested in whatever he had been saying. He looked slightly pacified, and continued with his story.|  
I blithely accepted another tankard of rum and began downing it a bit more slowly than last time.

"The girl's parents died about a year ago of a strange disease, leaving her all alone in a huge house with about ten servants." Usopp said, and that was definitely a frown on his face.  
"Even if you're rich, it doesn't mean you don't get sad.." I filled in with a glare into my rum.

Nami sighed, putting her hand on the table, and I tilted my head.

"Nevermind..Let's forget about looking for a ship here, we can find one somewhere else." She said as she turned away from me. Luffy grinned as he chowed down on his meat.

"Ok! We're not in a hurry. But I want some more meat. Let's stock up on some!" He after he finished chewing. I grinned and knocked back what was left of the tankard.  
"We need to get some rum and sake too, captain." I pointed out.

Usopp gave Luffy a strange look and got his attention.

"You said earlier that you were looking for crew members?" he asked as Luffy snapped his head up from his plate of food.  
"Yea! Why, know someone that wants to join us?"

Usopp had a determined look on his face.

"Let me be the captain and I'll join you!"  
"No way." I leaned back and waved my now-empty tankard as the others grumbled a low 'nevermind..'

Longnose glared at me. "What kind of attitude is that?" He exclaimed.  
"If you can't beat me or him (_I jerked my thumb at Zoro as I said this part_) then there's no way you ever be our captain." I said as I placed a hand on Luffy's shoulder.  
"And you sure as hell couldn't beat me."

Usopp was ignoring me, and got to his feet. "It's that time..." He muttered as he raced out of the store.

I gratefully accepted yet another tankard of rum from the wonderful lady who ran the restaurant.


	7. Chapter 7

"Usopp's Pirates are here!"

I nearly choked on the mouthful of rum I had taken, but swallowed it because I really, _REALLY_, didn't want to spit it out all over Zoro.

"What?" Nami looked over her shoulder at the three kids that had charged into the shop.  
"Who are they?" Luffy asked no one in particular.

I coughed a few times, trying to clear my throat while Zoro raised an eyebrow and smirked at me.

The three kids looked at our table like we were mountain ogres.

"H-hey, the captain isn't here..."  
"It can't be that they ate him.."

Zoro and I exchanged a glance as I smirked around my drink.

"Hey! Pirates! What did you do to our captain?"  
"Give him back!"

**Clink!**

Luffy set his drink down and let out a satisfied yawn. "What good meat!" He exclaimed happily.

"H-huh? Meat?"  
"He ate the captain?"

Zoro planted his elbow on the table, supporting his hand with his arm as he looked at them.

"Your captain?" He asked with a smirk.  
"He was pretty tasty." I followed up as I leaned back, downing the rest of my rum with a grin.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHH! CANNIBALS!" they shrieked while looking at Nami.  
"WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME?" she yelled as Zoro and I dissolved into laughter.

"You! Why would you two tell them something weird like that!" she shouted at us, which only made me laugh harder.  
I got up from the table as I shook with laughter. "Be right back..." I said, chuckling. I had to use the bathroom damnit!

* * *

By the time I got back, the three kids were standing by the table again and talking with Nami.  
"It's that time again?" one of the kids said.

I slid into my seat and tried to sneak some bacon from Zoro's plate.

"Yea, he said that right before he left." the swordsman said as he smacked my hands away casually, and the kids' faces lit up.  
"Oh! so it was time to go to the mansion!" they exclaimed as I grumbled into my rum while Zoro gave me a stern look.

Mansion? Where the sick girl lives?" Nami asked, putting two and two together.  
"Why does he go there?" Luffy asked and I tried to look like I was interested in the conversation, even though my rum held a much deeper pull for me.

_Ahhh rum how I've missed you..._

"To tell lies!" said one of the kids matter-of-factly.

_...What?_

Apparently Luffy had the same thought as me.

"Isn't that a bad thing...?" he asked as the kids smiled.  
"No, it's actually great!" they said brightly.

"He tells lies to a sick girl and that's great? I feel like I'm missing something..." I muttered under my breath.  
"He tells Miss Kaya stories to make her happy!"  
"None of them are true, but they make her smile!"

I blinked. "So that's how it is." I mumbled as Luffy grinned widely.  
"Oh! So he's a great guy!" He said with a sudden look of admiration.

I finished my rum and set it aside as Nami put her chin in her hand. "So to make her feel better, he's been going to amuse her with made up stories?" She asked with a small smile.  
"Yup!" the kids said.

"I like his noisiness!"  
"I like his cowardice!"  
"I like his lies!"

Zoro blinked in disbelief.

"What kind of strong points are those..." I laughed at his expression and let out a snort while I did so.

I clapped my hands over my mouth as Zoro stared at me, a blush rising on my cheeks. "Are you... drunk?" he asked, while a smirk spread slowly across his face.  
"No." I lied quickly.

I don't think I did a very good job though, judging from his smug expression.

Luffy grinned. "So is she feeling better?" He asked the three kids who nodded vigorously.  
"Yea! And it's all thanks to our captain!" they said proudly.

Luffy stood and stretched.

"ALL RIGHT! We're going to the mansion to ask for a ship." He said as Nami's eyebrow twitched.  
"Didn't you just say that you'd give it up?" she asked helplessly as Zoro and I stood to follow the captain.

I turned to the three kids.

"Hey, could you take us to the mansion?" I asked and they grinned, running ahead of us as Nami paid the bill, grumbling.

"I don't think they'll just give us a ship.." I commented dubiously as I followed Luffy.  
"No harm in asking now is there?" Zoro pointed out and I nodded with a sigh, almost loosing my balance as I did so.

Zoro's arm shot out as I righted myself, suddenly grinning. He groaned, placing a hand over his face as he followed after me.

"Hey, when we do get a bigger ship though, would you spar with me?" I asked as I spun around tilting my head to look up at him.  
He lifted an eyebrow at that.

"You sure about that?" He asked, trying very hard not to laugh at my antics. I nodded (_and his arm twitched_) as I examined my handcuffs.

"I've never met anyone who could catch up to my speed without these on before." I explained happily as we got farther from the town. Zoro looked interested at that, deciding that sticking next to my elbow was better than me eating dirt apparently.

"Oh really?"

* * *

"Hey! Please lend us a ship!" Luffy said to a building and I stopped walking.

"Oh, we're here?" I commented as Luffy began to scale the fence.  
"Well, lets just go in." he said.

I grinned at the direct approach as I gathered my legs under me and leaped, landing lightly on top of the wall surrounding the mansion.  
"Sounds good!" I exclaimed, and wobbled a bit. Nami shrieked as I regained my balance and waved down at them before dropping to the ground on the other side of the fence.

"How did he do that?" the kids stammered as Nami put her face in her hand.  
"We can't stop them..." she groaned.  
"Well, if we can't stop them, we follow them." I heard Zoro say as we walked around the mansion, and I grinned as I spotted Usopp chatting with a slight girl.

Luffy and the three kids ran ahead of us I hung back with Zoro.

"Captain!" they called, and he spun around, not expecting us to be there.  
"Why are you all here?" He asked, his eyes bugging slightly.  
"We brought this guy here!" they said, pointing to Luffy, who stood with his fists on his hips.

"So you're the owner?" He asked, his eyes bright as Usopp walked over to put an arm around his shoulder.  
"These guys heard of my reputation, and traveled a long way to get here. They are the new additions to the Usopp Pirates!" He said and I snorted behind my hand.  
"Yea! No wait that's not..." Luffy began.

I stepped to the front.

"We have a favor to ask." I said, tugging on my headband as I grinned. The girl leaned out of the window a bit farther to look at us.  
"A favor? Of me?" she asked curiously.

"Yea! We need a big ship..." Luffy began to say.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" interrupted a voice and I turned to see a tall man with glasses walking at us. "You can't just waltz into the mansion like this!" He sneered and Usopp looked away.  
"Ugh, the butler."

"Well, we technically we didn't waltz. You see, this guy here climbed, I jumped and.."  
"Kai, shut up."  
"What did you say, idiot swordsman?"  
"I said to shut up, shitty fighter!"

Zoro and I glared daggers at one another as the slight girl leaned out of the window.

"Kurahadol, wait, these people are..." she began to say.  
"You don't have to explain, I'll just ask you about it later." He brushed her off and settled his glare onto us.  
"Please leave! Or do you have something to say?"

I really didn't like this guy. Luffy gave him his best smile however.  
"We want a ship!"  
"No way."

Zoro patted the captain on the back as he sagged.

"Kurahadol? what a weird name." I muttered. The man turned to our long nosed friend and frowned.  
"You're Usopp, aren't you? I've heard some rumors about you, seeing as how the townspeople talk about you all the time." He said almost casually.

Usopp adopted a pose of confidence.

"Why thank you! You may call me Captain Usopp." He said grandly. The butler pushed his glasses up with the palm of his hand as he sighed.

"Hey, Zoro." I whispered as I leaned over, and the swordsman glanced over at me.  
"What?"  
"Why does he push his glasses up like that?" I asked and Zoro's eyebrow twitched as he shoved my head away.  
"You're too close."  
"Hey! Don't dodge the question!"

"The guards said that you were lurking outside the gates. What do you want?" the butler asked, and Usopp started stammering.

"Well, you see, I uh, I heard that there was a huge rodent in the mansion so I wanted to come see it for myself..." He fibbed lamely as the butler sniggered.  
"Well you lie pretty easily!" He said, and Usopp looked shocked.  
"What?"

"I've heard about your father too...You son of a filthy pirate." He said with that strange eyeglass push again. "I'm not surprised you turned out this way, but stay away from Miss Kaya!"

"His dad was a pirate?" Luffy said aloud as I opened and closed my mouth rapidly, biting back my words.

This wasn't my battle, but that didn't mean I couldn't get angry, right?

"Did you say filthy...?" hissed Usopp angrily.

The butler continued as if he hadn't said anything offensive.

"You and Miss Kaya belong to completely different worlds. Is it money you're after? Just name your price and we'll send you off." He said dismissively.  
"THATS ENOUGH, KURAHADOL! APOLOGIZE TO USOPP AT ONCE!" Kaya shouted at the butler and I grinned approvingly.  
I got why Usopp obviously liked her.

She had a backbone.

"Why should I apologize to this uncivilized person? I'm just telling the truth!" he said with a backwards glance at her before turning his attention to Usopp once more. "I feel sorry for you..You hate your father, don't you?" he said with the strange push again. "He was a 'dumb treasure hunter' who deserted his town and family..."  
"KURAHADOL!" Kaya yelled at him.

Usopp was getting angrier by the second, judging from the look on his face. "Don't say another word about my dad..."  
"Why are you so angry? You aren't very smart...you should have just told your usual lies. That your father was a traveling merchant or that you and him were not blood related.."  
"SHUT UP!"

Usopp punched him in the face.  
I cheered.

"You're so violent! Like father, like son.."  
"SHUT UP!" Usopp screamed. "I'M PROUD THAT MY DAD WAS A PIRATE! HE WAS A BRAVE WARRIOR OF THE SEA!"

I felt proud, but also a little embarrassed. But I was also slightly (_read: very_) drunk so the embarrassed part was probably due to the fact I was swaying back and forth like a see-saw.

"YOU'RE RIGHT! I LIKE TO LIE! BUT I'M PROUD OF HAVING A PIRATES BLOOD IN ME! I DON'T HAVE TO PRETEND TO BE SOMETHING I'M NOT!" Usopp stopped for breath. "I'M THE SON OF A PIRATE!"

Luffy looked as if he had suddenly remembered something.

"Pfff...that pirate, the brave warrior? Don't make me laugh." the butler said. "You're still his offspring though. You never think of anyone else. When you are upset you use your strength to hit others.." he said as he got up, brushing the dust off his clothes. "After all, you only want to get close to Miss Kaya for her money."  
"What did you say? I..."  
"Enough with the explanations! I've said all that needs to be said. You're just the son of a dirty pirate!"  
"DON'T INSULT MY DAD!"

Usopp lifted his fist to punch the butler, but Kaya intervened.  
"Stop, Usopp!" she cried out, and he froze, mid swing.

"Kurahadol isn't a bad person...He's just being harsh on you because he worries about me..." Kaya told Usopp as she sniffled. Usopp lowered his fist and his whole body shook. Kurahadol slapped his hand away.  
"Get out. This is not a place for a low life like you. Don't you dare come near here again!" He ordered, and Usopp walked off slowly.

"Yea..I know." He said with a dark look. "I won't ever come near here again."

"Okay, that's it! I'm gonna pound him into the ground!" I hissed as I started to run at the butler.

I blinked as Zoro suddenly hooked his arms under my shoulders, stopping my movement.  
"Hey!" I spat, glaring over my shoulder at him, and the swordsman frowned at me.  
"Don't get involved. It's not your fight." he said disapprovingly.

I surged forward to break out of the hold but Zoro didn't even budge.

"I know that! It doesn't make me any less angry though!" I snapped, kicking out wildly.  
"Idiot..." He huffed as he lifted me.  
"H-hey!"

I was really glad that he couldn't see my face, since I was blushing.  
"Put me down damnit! Zoro!" I struggled and whined as he tossed me over his shoulder.  
"Not till you calm down. Or sober up." He grunted as I squirmed.  
"I refuse to do either!" I crowed as we started to leave.  
"Then I'm not going to put you down." He retorted and I huffed as we walked back toward the town, still blushing furiously and glad no one could see it.


	8. Chapter 8

I was sitting against a fence, looking anywhere but at Zoro while the blush still dusted across my cheekbones.

He had finally put me down about two miles away from the mansion when he was sure that I wouldn't run off. Nami had been sniggering behind her hand the whole time as my expression had vacillated between horror and embarrassment.

"So..Where's Luffy?" the she-witch asked. She was sitting a few feet away, legs dangling as she perched atop said fence. Zoro was sprawled out next to her in his usual 'relaxed' position, hands behind head and swords against his shoulder.

"Maybe he went to look for Usopp." He offered casually. The kids sitting next to us grinned.  
"If you're looking for the captain, he has a special spot on the coast."  
"He goes there when he's stressed."  
"Want to go visit him?"

Zoro gave them a strange look, as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard.  
"No." He said bluntly and got to his feet, glancing over at me.

I pretended like I hadn't been looking at him.

"Where's your other friend?" Nami was asking the kids.  
"Oh, he always disappears."  
"He usually comes back over-reacting about something."  
"Hey Guys! Trouble!"

I shot to my feet and wobbled a bit. I was starting to sober up a bit, and didn't like it. I frowned slightly and leaned against the fence, trying to look casual. Zoro looked amused at the reaction and I stuck my tongue out at him.

"What is it now." one of them grumbled as their friend ran up.  
"There's a weird guy walking backwards!" he exclaimed.

I stared as I saw the man in question crest the hill.

Definitely weird.

"Hey, who told you I'm weird? I'm not a weirdo..." He said with a frown as he faced us.  
"But you look so strange!"  
"Don't be stupid. I'm just a regular hypnotist." was his reply.  
"Hypnotist? That's so cool! Can you show us your tricks?"

The weird man put a hand on his hat.

"I don't know you. Why should I have to show off to someone I just met?" He asked, then leaned over. "Listen! Look at this ring." The kids were watching closely.  
"Didn't you just say that wouldn't show them any tricks?" Zoro muttered.

"Now when I say, 'One, Two, Jango!' You will fall asleep." he said, leaning over.

"One...Two...Jango!" and the kids and hypnotist promptly fell asleep.

"WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SLEEPING TOO?" Zoro yelled at him. The hypnotist woke up and walked off without saying a word to us.  
"Strange..." said Nami, looking more than a little disturbed.

I leaned against the fence.

"I hate that butler." I announced and Nami glared at me.  
"You were putting up so much of a fuss that Zoro couldn't help me handle anyone else." she hissed at me and I flushed, but didn't look away.  
"I'm not going to apologize. I should have beat that guy into the ground for saying what he did. No one has the right to judge anyone else for what their parents are or what they will do in the future." I snapped, slamming my fist into the tree next to me as I glowered.

"I agree. But it's not your battle to fight." Nami said, trying to reason with me. I faced away from her, not having a good comeback at all for that.

I was still facing away from the group when I heard the kids pipe up. "Captain?"  
"He isn't with Luffy?" Zoro asked blandly.  
"I think he's still mad about that guy insulting his dad." Nami said as she hopped off the fence and I glanced over my shoulder.

Usopp was running towards town, away from the beach.

"I don't think so."  
"He's in a hurry, so something must have happened at the coast." the kids were saying.

My gaze narrowed and I pushed off the tree as Zoro's expression grew hard.  
"Where's the coast?" He asked seriously.

I began walking toward the direction Usopp was running from and passed Nami without looking at her.  
"Kai?" she asked and I paused.

"I'm sorry." I said somberly, and kept walking. I felt more than saw Zoro fall in next to me.  
"I hope you know where you're going." He muttered as I frowned.  
"Of course I do. I'm not directionally challenged." I scoffed, not looking over at him.

"You can trust us, you know." He said after a few minutes of walking.  
I sighed.

"Look, it's not a matter of trust." I said simply as we reached a cliff. Zoro lifted an eyebrow, but left it at that. I glanced around, then noticed a little heap of legs and arms at the bottom of the cliff.  
"Luffy!" I yelled, and leaped off the cliff edge.  
"Kai!" shouted Zoro as I hit the ground, and my knees bent under me and I planted my hands, doing a small forward flip to regain my balance.  
His eyebrow twitched.

"Shouldn't have bothered..." he muttered as he clambered down after me.

I shook Luffy, who was sleeping soundly.  
"Luffy. LUFFY!" I said as I tried to wake him up.  
He blinked at me sleepily.

"Oh...Kai!" he said. Zoro had made it down and was standing next to me as Nami and the three kids picked their way down the cliff.  
"What happened with Usopp?" I asked, straightening up.

Luffy's eyes were shaded by his hat, so I couldn't see his expression very well.

"That butler is actually a pirate, Captain Kuro of the Black Cat pirates. He's going to attack the town and kill Miss Kaya." He said seriously. The three kids heard though, and went into hysterics as I processed the information.

"What? Attack the town?"  
"And they're really going to kill miss Kaya?"  
"That's what they said..." repeated Luffy as he sat on the ground.  
Zoro huffed as he crossed his arms.

"So why are you sleeping on the ground?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow. Luffy tilted his head and looked confused.  
"I think...I was standing on the cliff?" He asked and I groaned at his apparent stupidity.

"That man is evil!"  
"The hypnotist was his friend, too!"

Nami crossed her arms over her chest. "So that's why your captain was running into the town. It's good that you knew about it before it happened." She commented as the kids turned quizzically. "If you can escape now, you can get away. These enemies are really stupid." She said, waving her hand dismissively.  
I clenched my fist, and Zoro turned to look at me strangely.

"That's true! Let's get outta here!"  
"We gotta get the treasure box too!"  
"And our snacks and our toys.." The kids were listing as they ran off ahead of us. The others made to follow, but I held a hand up to stop them.

"Even if Usopp warns them, they won't believe him." I said bluntly as soon as the kids ran out of hearing range.  
"What?" Nami hissed at me.

"You've seen it for yourself. Despite his good intentions, he does make stories up, and is well renowned for it. Even if he does tell the townspeople pirates are on their way, they'll believe it's just another story and won't take it seriously." I explained, breaking down the situation.

Zoro's eyes narrowed. "So you're saying we have to deal with this ourselves." He finished for me and I nodded.  
"I hate to say it, but yes." I looked away as I waited for the angry retorts.

"Then lets do that."

I looked up sharply to see Luffy nodding at me. "We can take those pirates out anytime." He stated, full of confidence, and I allowed myself a real smile. 

* * *

"Captain!"

The kids had found Usopp, who was wiping his eyes quickly. I exchanged a glance with Zoro, and examined the longnose carefully. He looked a little roughed up, and he was holding his arm limply behind him. He spotted Luffy.

"Oh, it's you." He said casually, seconds before his eyes bugged out. "You aren't dead?" he asked, obviously confused.  
"I just woke up. Why would I be dead?" Luffy asked blankly.

"Anyway, Captain! We know everything. We have to tell everyone about the pirates!" one of the kids said earnestly, and Usopp's look grew dark.

"Tell everyone?" he mumbled. The look lasted less than a second, however, before he threw his head back and started laughing. "You should know I was lying again. I just really hate that butler, so I made up a story about him being a pirate." he said brightly. I smiled helplessly.

So he realized it too...

"Oh, so it was a story."  
"I thought it was true!"  
"Why were you four playing along with him?" the kids asked Luffy. They turned away quickly, not waiting for an answer.  
"But..I don't like captain doing that."  
"Yea, even though the butler is mean...you shouldn't make up stories about someone."  
"Let's go home."  
"Yea. I wonder what's for dinner!"

We watched them leave, and Usopp turned to us almost apologetically.

"We know." I said simply as I crossed my arms over my chest and tilted my chin upward. Usopp gave me a hard look, then sighed.

"You're smart to have figured it out that quickly." He complimented, then sat down by a tree. "Still, the truth is the truth. Tomorrow, those pirates are coming. Everyone thinks I'm lying though, and that tomorrow will be another peaceful day." He said, running a hand over his bandanna. We waited patiently to hear what he had to say next.

"So I'm going to wait for those pirates to come tomorrow, and I will make this whole thing a lie!" Usopp shouted, clenching his fist. "Tomorrow WILL be another peaceful day for them!" He said and I grinned.

He has good determination.

Luffy looked impressed, and Nami looked a little shocked. Zoro had raised an eyebrow and placed a hand on his swords. Usopp pulled his arm out from behind his back, and it was covered in blood as he clutched at it. "I even got shot in the arm, got chased by the townspeople, but this is my home and I'm going to protect it!" His voice was quavering while Zoro and Luffy exchanged silent looks of agreement.

"I love this town, and I want to protect everyone. I can't stand by as they all get killed without knowing anything." Usopp said as he covered his face with his arm. We stood in silence for a moment.

"You're a good guy. You think we'll let you fight by yourself?" Zoro huffed while grinning. Luffy rotated his arm.  
"We'll help you too." He said, with a serious look on his face.  
"I have to tell you first, the treasure will be all mine." Nami said with a grin.  
"Eh? You'll help me? Why?" Usopp asked intelligently.  
I turned to the side.

"As if we could leave you alone when you say something that full of heart, idiot." I snorted as I rubbed my wrists.  
"And your face tells us that you're scared." Luffy said and Zoro's expression was serious.  
"It's because there are a lot of enemies, right?" He asked.

Usopp stood and glared at us. "Don't be stupid! You think I'm afraid of them? Even though they have more people, I will never be afraid! I am Captain Usopp, the greatest fighter of the sea!" He shouted at us.

He realized his knees were knocking together.

"THEY ARE THE KURO PIRATES, REMEMBER! EVERYONE MUST BE AFRAID OF THEM! YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT?" He shrieked and I glanced over my shoulder.  
"We weren't laughing." I commented.  
"That's why we'll help you. We like your attitude." Zoro replied.  
"I feel sympathetic, not that I'll risk my life to help you." Luffy said and a tear rolled down Usopp's cheek, though he quickly wiped it away.  
"We need to prepare." He said and started walking.

We reached a path leading down to the shore, and I glanced around.

Easily defensible.

"They'll come to this coast because it leads directly to the town. This is the only path, and it's surrounded by the cliff." Usopp pointed out and I frowned.  
"What about where we came in from? Our boats aren't here." I pointed out. Usopp's eyes bugged as he realized this.

"I almost forgot about the north port! Oh man, how are we going to defend both?" He groaned and I let out a sigh.  
"I'll go keep an eye on the north." I said as I moved away from the group.  
"By yourself?" Nami asked with a frown.  
I smirked.

"I'll be enough to hold off a few pirates until you hear the fighting and come running." I said with confidence, quirking my eyebrow as I walked off.  
"Kai!" yelled Luffy, and I turned and looked over my shoulder at the captain.  
He was giving me a serious look.

"I trust you." He said simply, locking eyes with me. I looked away, feeling more than a little touched.  
"Don't get yourself cut up more, shitty fighter." growled Zoro at me as Usopp started to protest.

"You can't send him alone!" He exclaimed and I raised my clenched fist as they shut up. My cuffs jingled slightly as I grinned.

"I'll take care of it if they come that way, Luffy." I said as I walked off.

I won't let you down.

* * *

I sat on the cliff by the boats, rubbing my wrists. The handcuffs were lying next to me on the ground as I watched the sunrise. The sky was painted blood red, signaling a strong storm moving from the west. It was also gorgeous to see.

"Huuuu...It's beautiful." I commented to myself softly.

I sighed as the breeze ruffled my hair, and saw the pirates ship cruising in on the horizon. I tugged on my headband as I stood and faced the boat with a feral smile.

"Let me welcome you to**_ hell_**."

* * *

I lay back against the ground, my eyes half closed as I soaked up the sun and lazily snapped my handcuffs back on. The waves lapped against the shore, and seagulls were crying. I felt more than heard someone walking up behind me and grinned.

"What the hell happened here." slid the cool voice of the butler.

I opened my eyes fully and sat up.

"Well, A ship was coming into the harbor when a freak cyclone came outta nowhere and wrecked it. No one survived." I said easily, glancing over at the man with a feral grin.  
"No one survived at all?" He said, and his voice seemed to be straining.

I got to my feet and stretched.

"Yea. Your crew isn't coming, Kuro." I responded lightly as I heard him putting something onto his hands. I glanced over my shoulder as he tugged on a pair of strange looking gloves with swords on the fingertips. He snarled and launched himself at me as I danced away. I wasn't expecting his speed though, and his leg connected solidly with my stomach.

I flew backwards a few feet before gathering myself and dropping into a defensive stance. I dodged his next swipe, unleashing a heavy kick to his back as he shot past me and stumbled briefly. He seemed to re-evaluate me for a few moments, then he disappeared. Instinctively, I darted forward, but not quickly enough to evade his claws. I almost screamed as his claws stabbed through my old wound, and pulled myself away from him.

"Aa? Got hurt there did you?" Kuro snarled as he tried to kick me in that same spot again. I managed to catch his ankle, flipping him as my side slowly stained red. I took a few steps back to catch my breath, not liking the fact that it hurt so damn much.

We eyed each other for a few moments.

"I've heard of you, Godhand Kai." He said abruptly.  
"Oh really now?" I hissed as I dashed in, aiming low.

"The rumors all said you were an extremely competent fighter, but from what I see, you're fairly weak. I wonder why that is?" He wondered aloud as he dodged my rush. He snagged my wrists in his hands and rammed me into the cliff face. I dropped to my knees as I tasted blood in my mouth and coughed.

"I don't go all out against weaklings." I hissed at him with a grin as I lunged forward, landing a heavy punch that shattered his glasses. He reached out as he fell and grabbed the front of my shirt as he rolled over, and I caught sight of Usopp and Nami staring in horror.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" I yelled at them while Zoro charged down the hill, all three swords drawn, and Kuro kicked me over him into the water. I barely managed to take a deep breath as my head went under. I snapped off my handcuffs and grabbed onto a rock protruding from the water, but with the drain on my energy I couldn't hang on for too long, and slipped into the water as Zoro's swords clashed with Kuro's.

Shit.

I struggled to stay calm, it wouldn't help me to get agitated. As I drifted through the murky depths, I tried to relax, knowing that one of my crew members would be in to help me, and I needed to conserve energy. After a minute or two, however, I was starting to get dizzy and my vision was spotting. I fought the urge to panic, and looked up at the surface as someone dived in. The green and white form swam for me as I tried to twist up, and I recognized it as Zoro. I started to choke as he pulled me to him, and we broke through the surface seconds later.

"Stay with me..." Zoro commanded and I took deep breaths as he hauled me to the shore and dragged me out of the water.  
"KAI!" Nami yelled as she reached us and I coughed and gasped, retching up water.

I tried to roll over onto my back but a warm hand was rubbing my back soothingly and it was helping me calm down, damnit!

"Zoro..." I sounded strained.  
"Right here."

Well that explains the backrub then.

"Thanks..." was my tired response as Nami knelt down by me.  
"It was nothing."

"Kuro?" The question came out between coughs and I soaked up the sunlight as Nami dropped to her knees next to me.  
"Luffy's handling it." was Zoro's reply.

I tried to curl up on myself as I grabbed my newly opened wound and Nami yanked my hands away from it.  
"Quit messing with it!" She hissed, and pulled my shirt up as I grimaced.

"How could you let yourself get injured like this?" She snapped at me angrily as I frowned as best I could.  
"I didn't 'let' myself get anything! And I'll have you know I..."

I was cut off by another round of puking up sea water.

Nami leaned over to Zoro and started to whisper, though I could hear all of it.

"I can't sew this up on my own this time. We need a proper doctor!"  
"I agree, but how are we going to explain this to anyone?" He growled as his eyes darted to me and he noticed I had heard every word.

"Say I tried to cut my gut open and you stopped me in time." I whispered with a serious look.  
"That just might work." Zoro said as Nami stared at us.  
"You two always have the worst ideas..." She said with a shake of her head.

I grinned, enjoying the sunshine but not the god awful taste in my mouth. I frowned slightly and spat out a mouthful of blood when Nami wasn't looking.

Gross. I'd need something to wash that taste out of my mouth.

Like rum. Or several tankards of rum, for that matter.

My train of thought derailed itself as Usopp walked up, an unbelieving look on his face.  
"You...have you seen that?" He said, his voice shaking.

I allowed myself a smirk.

The wreckage of the Black Cat's pirate ship was really quite a sight.

A hole had been ripped in the middle of it, and it was sinking slowly. There were no crew members in sight except those floating on their stomachs, and the ship had several smaller holes in the sides taking on water. The mast was hanging crazily off to one side, and pieces of timber and crates were floating around in the water.

"What the hell?" was Zoro's only response, and Nami stared at me.  
"Did you do that?" She asked faintly and I grinned.  
"It was a freak cyclone. Came out of nowhere." I said snarkily as I sat up carefully.

"There isn't a cloud in the sky!" She argued as I got to my feet and walked over to my bag.  
"Do you think I could have caused damage like that?" I snorted as I grabbed a roll of bandages and pulled up my shirt to re-bandage the wound.

Honestly, I just didn't want the others to find out I was a girl just yet. Better they think I was a guy and keep themselves safe from my...former employers...than know I was a girl if they ever came looking. If the need arose though, I would have to tell them.

I finished with the cut and looked up suddenly as someone appeared at the top of the path to the beach.  
"Miss Kaya?" I said aloud, and Usopp sprinted for her, to get her away from the butler while Luffy kept him busy. I sat back down next to Zoro and enjoyed the sunshine.

"What happened to your handcuffs?" He asked, and I frowned.  
"Took them off when I hit the water. No one can swim with one thousand pounds hanging from their wrists." I said as I lay against the sand.

"ONE THOUSAND POUNDS? ARE YOU CRAZY?" Nami shrieked and I covered my ears with my hands.  
"Good god, woman! Are you trying to make my ears explode?" I hissed at her as she punched my arm.  
"Who in their right mind wears something that heavy all the time?" She exclaimed as I gave her my best glare.

"I do."  
"Because you're insane!"  
"Hey now, I'm the only one who gets to call me that." I said as I waved my hand at her lazily and drifted to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

_Warmth._

I awoke rather groggily to the sunlight on my face and rubbed at my eyes. As my vision cleared, I noticed that none of my surroundings were familiar. I started to sit up, but a hand landed on my shoulder and pushed me back down firmly.

"Stop moving around."

I glanced over to the side as my head hit the pillow again. Zoro was sitting next to the bed, cleaning his swords.

I relaxed a bit with his presence and realized that I was bandaged very well in the stomach area, and gave it a precursory feel as I watched the swordsman tending to his blades. He glanced over at me as I tried to pretend I hadn't just been staring.

"Your wound got infected." He said calmly, and the blood drained from my face. In my experience, an infected wound was a very serious issue if left unattended.  
"How bad?" I asked softly as he turned back to the swords.

"Pretty bad." He admitted as I relaxed into the blankets. The room smelled lightly of spice and steel and I closed my eyes halfway, picking at a string. I was almost thankful when a small, stooped lady walked into the room.

"Ah hello dears! I see the young man is up!" She said as she crossed over to me. I smiled.  
"Thanks for letting me rest here.." I said and she smiled and eased herself up onto a chair next to the bed.

Zoro stood, grabbing his swords as he walked out.

"Call me when you're done." He said to the lady as he crossed the room and left, allowing the door to swing shut behind him.  
"He's such a good friend." She commented as she lifted the blankets.  
I smiled.

"He really is." I replied as she pulled my shirt up to examine the bandages.

"You've been asleep for a day and a half, dearie." she commented lightly and I gaped.  
"Really?"

She nodded, seemingly satisfied, and bundled me up again as she set a tray and a bowl of soup down in front of me. "I was surprised at this cut when he brought you here. I thought he might have done it!" She whispered conspiratorially and my jaw hung low.

"Zoro would never..." I started to say as she shushed me and handed me a spoon.  
"I know. He's been sitting next to you the whole time, I don't think he slept. Some of your other friends stopped by as well." I flushed as I ate the soup.

_He had stayed awake the entire time?_

"That young man with the straw hat seemed particularly upset. He and the other young lady left for the restaurant a little while ago." The lady was saying and I grinned.  
"That sounds like Luffy! I can't imagine him going for very long without eating." I said with a laugh and the lady chuckled.

"He seemed like the kind of boy who could eat a lot. You are lucky to have such special friends. Treasure them." She said as she gathered up the bowl, and I smiled.  
"I do. You have no idea how much I treasure them." I said. She patted me on the shoulder and stood.

"I don't know why you pretend to be a boy, my dear, but I'll send your young man in." She said as she crossed to the door.

My jaw hit the floor.

"But I'm..He's not..." I trailed off as she opened the door and winked at me, letting the door swing shut behind her. I could hear her conversing briefly with Zoro.

I felt positively_ scandalized._

I tried not to flush as Zoro walked back into the room, stretching lazily, and I also tried not to notice as his shirt pulled in all sorts of interesting directions.

_Damn old ladies and their meddling._

"You..have you slept in the last day and a half?" I asked sharply, trying to focus on something other than my comrades physique.  
Zoro blinked.  
"Nope."

"You idiot!" I hissed as I tried to get up out of the bed. His eyes widened and he took a few steps over to me.  
"Idiot swordsman...you need sleep more than I do..." I hissed at him as he loomed over the bed, and he huffed in annoyance.  
"I'm fine." He argued as I stood up with a stumble.

"If you are tired, take a nap. I need a shower." I grumbled as I walked out the door, and I heard him sigh and the bed creak.

_Now where was that old lady?_

* * *

A half hour later I emerged from the bathroom, feeling much more myself now that I was clean.

"Kai! You're up!" exclaimed someone hyper-actively and I looked up in time to see Luffy and Nami walk in the door.  
"Hey!" I said brightly, rubbing my hair with a towel. I tilted my head as I recognized the figure in the back of the group.

"Miss Kaya?" I said slowly, and the slight girl grinned at me.

"I have a surprise for you all! Where is Mr. Swordsman?" She asked, glancing around.  
"Ah. I'll get him." I said as I walked back into the room.

_Awwwwwwwww_

Zoro was lying across the bed, snoring lightly. I grinned as I crossed over to him and pushed his shoulder lightly.

"Hey, wake up. The others are here." I said softly, and he opened one eye to look at me, then sat up with a groan.  
"Fine..." He said, sounding rather tired. I left the room as he ran a hand over his hair.

"He'll be out in a few minutes." I announced as I was engulfed in a hug from Nami.  
"You idiot! Don't ever worry us like that again!" She scolded me as I started to turn purple.  
"Nami, I need air..lemme go." I wheezed, and she released me hastily as I caught my breath.

I heard a snort of laughter from the door and noticed Zoro had emerged. Kaya grinned at us all.

"Now that you're all together, come see the surprise I have for you!" She said excitedly as we left the house.  
I darted into the kitchen to hug the lady who had cared for me.

"Thanks for everything." I said warmly and she smiled indulgently.  
"You kids have fun on your adventures. And take good care of that young man of yours, he's a keeper." She whispered with a gleam in her eye. I flushed and ran a hand over my head, not sure what to say as I walked out the door and down the steps to the group.

"So what's this surprise, Miss Kaya?" I asked as I rubbed my wrists, missing the weight of the cuffs. I had no one to blame for that but myself and possibly Kuro, but there was nothing I could do to punish the pirate captain now.

"Well, you said you wanted a ship, right?" She said brightly and comprehension dawned.  
"You're giving us a ship?" I said as I gave her a huge hug. She laughed and I nearly danced in joy.

A bigger ship! That meant private quarters and sparring space!

We made it to the docks as Luffy and I talked excitedly about the ship and what we were going to do on it, with Nami interjecting occasionally.

"Hoooo!" Zoro grinned as Nami clapped her hands together at the ship.  
"It's a Caravel!" She exclaimed happily.

Luffy was staring at it in wonder and I was happily grabbing my bag of stuff from the smaller boats. A man in a suit with lambs hair looked proud as he stood in front of the ship.

"This was designed by me. It might look old, but this design has been popular in the latin world. It's name is the Going Merry." He said as he examined us carefully. "You are the ones who defeated the Black Cat pirates? I thought you would have more people than this." He muttered as Luffy raised his arms in his victory pose.  
"You're giving this ship to us?" He asked, excited, and Kaya smiled happily.

"Yes. Please take it." She said fondly, and the suited man started to explain how to steer to Luffy as Nami intervened. I grinned up at the ship as Kaya smiled.  
"I put all the necessary provisions on board too!" She said as Luffy grinned at her.  
"Thanks! That's so awesome!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

We turned at the scream to see Usopp rolling down the hill, a huge sack of stuff on his back.

"What is he doing?" Luffy asked, tilting his head to one side.  
"Rolling, it looks like." I commented dryly.  
"Who cares, just stop him before he hits the boat." Zoro said as the three of us stepped forward.

**WHAM**

We lifted our legs and planted them in his face, effectively stopping his roll.  
"Thanks..." He mumbled as Luffy stared.  
"You're welcome." He said seriously.

I turned away to climb on board the ship, Zoro following behind. Luffy just jumped onto the ship using his stretchy arms.

"Stay healthy! We'll meet again if we're meant to!" Usopp called to us, and Luffy leaned over the railing at him.  
"Why?" He asked curiously and I groaned at Usopp's stupidity.

"Why are you asking that? Both of us are pirates, so we'll meet again on the sea." Usopp said with a shrug and Zoro glared at him.  
"Shut up and get on board." he commanded, pointing at the ship.  
"You're one of us, aren't you?" I called out as Luffy nodded.  
Usopp gave a happy yell.

"I'm the captain right?" He exclaimed, doing a small dance.  
"DON'T BE STUPID! I'M THE CAPTAIN!" Luffy shouted at him and I started laughing as they argued.

"Let's break out the booze!" I yelled as I rushed into the galley after we had cast off.  
"GREAT IDEA!" Luffy shouted, following me in as I hefted a few barrels and dragged them out.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR INJURY!" Nami shrieked as she smacked me over the head and I squatted down rubbing the lump.  
"WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HIT ME!" I yelled at her, recovering quickly.

Usopp appeared from the galley with several large mugs and we filled them up with booze and lifted them high.

"To a new ship and a new crew member!" Yelled Luffy and we clanked our mugs together, downing them easily. I found myself laughing and smiling along with the others like I hadn't in years.

I came to a decision that day.  
I would protect them from everything, _including_ myself and my past.

* * *

THE PIRATE FLAG IS FINISHED!" yelled Luffy as he held up his latest creation.

A muscle near my eye twitched as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I've put a lot of thought into this, and this is our Jolly Roger!" Luffy crowed in delight as Zoro, Nami, Usopp and I stared at the thing in disbelief.

Usopp was the first to say something.

"Your art style really sucks..." He said openmouthed. Nami rubbed her chin thoughtfully.  
"No, maybe it's supposed to be abstract." She said with a frown. Zoro had a rather stunned look on his face.  
"Well.. A pirate flag is a symbol of death, and this is definitely scary.." He intoned as my eye continued to twitch.  
"What is...I don't even..." I tried and failed to say something several times.

"Well? How is it?" Luffy said with a bright grin.

Usopp frowned and sighed. "You really don't know how to draw. Let me show you how it's done." He said, picking up the paintbrush and another sheet of cloth. A few moments later he proudly displayed a skull and crossbones that was well drawn, but had a slingshot and a long nose.  
"TaDAH!"

Zoro and I punched him in the head. "You drew your own symbol." We intoned at the same time.

"Ouch! Okay okay..." he mumbled as we set his aside and he worked on the symbol.

"There, it's done." He said as we crouched around it.  
"Oh that looks much better now!" Nami said with a smile.  
"Yea, it's totally different from Luffy's." Zoro said with a sideways glance at the first monstrosity our captain had attempted.  
"You draw pretty good, Usopp." I complimented.  
"Let's draw it on the sail!" Luffy said excitedly.

Usopp smiled and crossed his arms, paintbrush held loosely in one hand. "Ever since I was small, I would paint on people's walls. I have gained much in the arts..." He said proudly and I grinned at him.  
"Oh, so you vandalized people's houses." I teased, and he chased me around the ship with the paintbrush.  
"Hey! C'mon it was just a joke!" I laughed.

Usopp eventually got to work with Luffy while I collapsed back onto the deck, waiting for the paint to dry on the flags.  
"You seem happier." Nami called to me as I stared at the clouds with a content look on my face. I grinned and stretched, enjoying the sunshine.  
"It's nice to have friends." I said simply.

For a half second there, she had a really lonely look to her.

I glanced over at the flags and grabbed one, Zoro grabbing the other, practically flying as we raced to tie it to the mast. I made my way down as Luffy was looking at the sails in pride.  
"OKAY! The Going Merry is complete!" He shouted with a smile, and Zoro dropped the last few feet from the other mast as Usopp and Nami collapsed onto the deck.

I leaned against the mast as Zoro sat down next to me. "I'm so tired..." Usopp whined as Zoro leaned his head back.

**KABOOM**

"What!" Zoro shot to his feet, and I stood, moving to the railing to see Luffy standing by the cannon.

"What are you doing?" the swordsman asked slowly.

Luffy shaded his hand with his eyes as he looked into the distance. "Practicing cannon shooting. Apparently I'm really bad at it." He said, and I slapped a hand to my face as Usopp walked up to stand next to him.  
"Let me take a look at that." He said, pushing Luffy out of the way.  
"Shoot that island!" Luffy said, pointing at a rock in the distance.  
Usopp narrowed his eyes at it.

"Ok! It should be right about here..." He muttered as he fired.

The top half of the rock exploded.

"Nice shot." I commented lightly.  
Luffy was more ecstatic.

"You're good! Only one shot and you hit it!" He crowed.  
"Only one shot?" Usopp said in unbelief.  
I raised my eyebrow.

"Is that a statement or a question?"

"See? I'm very good at targeting. If you want, from now on you can call me 'Captain'. " He said, adopting a smug pose.  
"From now on, you're our sharpshooter!" Luffy said with a grin as we walked into the galley where Nami was poring over her maps. Zoro sat down against the wall, and I perched atop a barrel, curling one of my legs underneath my chin.

"Alright! I'll give up on that. But if you fail horribly, you have to make me captain of the ship." Usopp said with a huff. Luffy laughed at his antics.  
"Sure! Hey, listen, I have an idea. Before we enter the Grand Line, we need one more crew member." He said with a finger pointed to the ceiling.

"That's a good idea, since we have such a beautiful kitchen. I'll hire someone if we have the money." Nami said with a wistful smile at the galley we were sitting in. Zoro seemed to perk up.  
"Yea, he's definitely the most important member for long journeys." he said with a slight grin.

"You think so too? Real pirates should always have a musician!" Luffy said with a huge grin.  
"ARE YOU NUTS?"  
"I THOUGHT YOU HAD A GOOD IDEA THERE FOR A SECOND, BUT YOU RUINED IT!"  
"WHAT DO YOU THINK BEING A PIRATE IS ABOUT?"  
"Shouldn't we have some form of entertainment?" Luffy sounded honestly confused at our reactions.

"SHOW YOURSELF! I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!"

_That voice didn't belong._

I darted out the door before the others had a chance to react, and glanced around quickly. I spied a man on the lower decks and leaped over the railing towards him. He swung his blade and I dodged under it, slipping around behind him as I pulled his arm up and behind his back.

"I'd advise you stay very still and drop your sword." I hissed in his ear as I gave his arm a yank. Luffy was outside a second after me.  
"Hey! Who are you?" He yelled down.  
"Who I am is none of your business!" the man shouted. "I'VE KILLED MANY PIRATES! AN INFAMOUS PIRATE LIKE YOU SHOULDN'T DARE TO KILL MY FRIEND!" He screamed, trying to get out of my grip. I pulled tighter on the arm and placed my free hand on his shoulder, dropping him to his knees.

"Johnny?"

I looked up to see Zoro staring down at the man I had immobilized. "Zoro, you know this guy?" I asked as I released the man.

"Zo-bro!" the man called. Zoro stuffed his hands in his pockets.  
"What happened? Where's Yosaku?" He asked as I sat down on the deck.  
"He's sick!" He exclaimed, and Zoro and I exchanged looks.

"Where's your friend?" I asked, getting to my feet again. Zoro walked down the stairs as the man led us to the tiny boat floating next to ours.  
"He looks a mess. Let's bring him up." I said as I gathered up the rope ladder.

The next few minutes were a blur of activity until we got the sick man on board.

"He passed out three days ago. His teeth started falling out, his old wounds were bleeding..I didn't know what to do! So I took him to an island to rest...then you guys shot your cannon at us!" Johnny was crying in earnest, and Usopp and Luffy bowed instantly.  
"We are extremely sorry!" They both said, and the man sniffled a bit.

"It's ok." He said as he wiped his eyes. "Since you said you were sorry, I won't get the marines to arrest you." He said and I flinched backwards.

"The names Johnny and Yosaku have become well known to many pirates...and Yosaku has been my partner for years now...Is he going to make it, Zo-bro?" He asked tearfully and Zoro looked worried.  
I stood and was walking back to the kitchen as Nami rounded on them.

"You are stupid!" she scoffed, and Zoro gave her a mean glare while Johnny drew his sword.  
"You think our friend's death is stupid?" He hissed out and Nami shook her head.

"Kai, the lemons are in the fridge of the kitchen." She said and I waved as I entered the galley. I quickly located the lemons and squeezed them into juice, pouring it into a glass.

I walked back outside and knelt by Yosaku, pulling his upper body onto my knee and supporting his head with my left arm as I poured the lemon juice into his mouth.  
"He has scurvy." She said simply as I looked up at them.

"If we're not too late, he'll be better in 2 or 3 days." I said as I finished feeding Yosaku the juice.  
"Really, Bro?" Johnny said, shaking with happiness.  
I glared at him.

"Don't call me Bro!" I snapped as I lay Yosaku back down on the deck and brushed myself off.

"In the past, anyone who got scurvy would die. The main cause of scurvy is lack of vitamin C, and in those days, ships didn't store any kind of fruits or vegetables on board." Nami explained with a sigh.  
"You're a miracle doctor!"  
"I knew that you were good!"  
"IF YOU WANT TO BE A PIRATE YOU SHOULD KNOW THESE KINDS OF THINGS!" Nami screeched.

Yosaku suddenly leaped up off the deck.

"I'M CURED!" He shouted, and Johnny picked me up in a hug.  
"MY BUDDY IS HEALTHY!" He shouted as well.  
"PUT ME DOWN DAMNIT!" I shrieked, trying to get him away from me. I managed to slip away and stalked to the other side of the ship.

_Man that was dangerous._

"Allow us to introduce ourselves. I'm Johnny."  
"And I'm Yosaku."  
"We are pirate hunters who were once on Zoro's level."  
"How can I repay you? I thought I was going to die!" Yosaku exclaimed as Johnny looked at Zoro in disbelief.

"It's unbelievable that the pirate hunter has become a pirate himself though." Johnny said as I glared at him over my shoulder.  
"Headband-Bro is really strong though!" Johnny exclaimed hastily and I rolled my eyes as Yosaku fell over, and Johnny started freaking out.

"JUST SHUT UP AND REST!" Zoro yelled at them both.

"This is a good lesson." Nami said as she sat on the steps.  
"I didn't know we could get sick so easily like that." Zoro mused.  
"If that man didn't find us, he wouldn't have survived." Usopp said and I snorted.

"All that aside, this proves the point we were making earlier. During a long journey, the person to make sure everyone is eating right is the chef." I said, waving my hand idly as I stretched out against the banister.  
"He is very important." Nami agreed, and Luffy stuck his tongue out.

"Okay! I've decided. We'll look for a chef so we can eat tasty foods!" He said with a grin. Johnny shot his hand into the air.  
"Zo-bro!" He said and I laughed.  
"Are you in school?" I asked as Zoro simply turned to him.

"What is it, Johnny." He said with a calm expression.  
"If you are looking for a chef, I can recommend a place, though I'm not sure if one will join you or not." he said as I rolled my eyes.  
"Well spit it out." I said as I leaned back.

"A restaurant ship, the Baratie." He said, and the others lit up.  
"A restaurant ship?"

"Yea! From here, it should take us 2 or 3 days. We'll have to be careful though, because it's close to Grand Line. There may be some dangerous pirates there." He said and I snorted. Johnny leaned over to Zoro. "And I heard that the 'hawk eyes' man you've been looking for frequents there too." He said, and Zoro's expression changed suddenly. The blood drained out of my face and I shot forward to stare at him. His eyes met mine and I got up and went below decks quickly.

_He wants to fight MIHAWK?_


	10. Chapter 10

"We've arrived at the restaurant!" Johnny's annoying voice floated up from below. I had taken a watch in the crows nest, and accidentally fallen asleep. At least the two hunters were down below.

"HOW'S THAT, EVERYONE!" He shouted, and I slipped down to the deck. The Baratie restaurant was just ahead of us, and it had a very interesting shape to it. I suppose it fit for sea chefs, but it was honestly kinda cool looking.

Apparently Luffy thought so too.

"Wow, it's a giant fish!"  
"This is so exciting!"

A marine's ship floated up next to us suddenly, and Johnny and Yosaku hid as I walked over to the edge of the boat, shading my eyes.

"Don't tell me they're going to attack us..." Usopp said through gritted teeth.  
"Hey, there's someone on the deck." I pointed out, and we stared as a man with an iron wrapping on his fist appeared.

"I've never seen that flag before... I am Lieutenant Fullbody, The Iron Fist, of the Marines. Who is your captain?" He called out. Luffy looked him square in the eye.  
"I am! I'm Luffy! I just finished the flag two days ago!" He said as Yosaku and Johnny fell into a laughing fit. The Lieutenant turned his attention to them.

"You two! I've seen you before, in some government office." He said, lighting a cigar and smiling in recognition. "Oh! You're those shabby pirate hunters, Johnny and Yosaku, right? Don't tell me you've been caught by these pirates." the Lieutenant said with a smirk.

"Hey, Yosaku. That guy's asking for trouble." Johnny said, striking a rather cool pose.  
"Hmph! You said we're shabby pirate hunters? That's really rude. Even though we won't get a single beli for it, we should teach him a lesson, Johnny." Yosaku said, and they both charged.

Two seconds later they were back on our deck, bleeding.  
My eye twitched.

"You guys really suck." I deadpanned along with Luffy.  
"We almost got him!"

Zoro looked at them with a blank expression. "What the hell are you two doing..." He asked as the Marines shot a cannon at us.  
"I GOT IT!" Luffy yelled as he leaped onto the railing.

"RUBBER BALLOON!" He yelled as his body swelled, and launched the cannonball right back...into the roof of the Baratie.  
"WHERE THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE BOUNCING THAT? IDIOT!" Zoro screamed at him. I groaned while the others freaked as we sailed up to the restaurant.

* * *

"Excuse me, mere bastard, but would you happen to be the ship that sent the cannonball at us?" I heard someone say from behind me as we docked, and looked over my shoulder.  
I blinked.

"Ah. That was Luffy's fault." I said, pointing at our captain while the crew gaped.  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Nami shrieked at me as the chefs whisked Luffy away.

"Well, he needed to apologize anyway, and explain." I commented as I stretched and walked down to the lower deck to put on my leg weights. I grabbed a weight for each hand and began to do my exercises.

"I know where I recognized you from now!" Johnny yelled as I swung the barbells around easily.  
"Hm?" was my only reply to his frantic tone.

"You have a wanted poster! You're 'Godhand' Delanoi Kai, aren't you?" He stammered out as he pointed at me. I tilted my head at him as I began to do another set of reps.  
"I thought that was common knowledge." I said without a change in my pattern.  
"What? Let me see that." Nami said, pulling the poster away from Yosaku.

Her face drained of color, and I paused, halting my exercise to stare at her.  
"Really, Nami? You didn't know?" I asked, confused.

"You're...You're really worth 10 million Beli?" She asked faintly as I crossed my arms.  
"Well, yea." I said as if it was the most logical thing in the world.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" Zoro shouted as he stormed down the stairs towards me, and I backed up a bit.  
"I didn't think _you_ would get mad over this..." I trailed off, eyes wide.  
"You got a bounty before I did! How could you expect me to NOT be mad!" He exclaimed and I rolled my eyes.  
"_That's_ all you're worried about?" I muttered under my breath as Usopp stood shaking in his boots.  
"10 million Beli...Just what on earth did you do?" He quavered and I smirked.

"I got arrested for fighting and broke out of the Marine HQ in Loguetown." I said simply and they all stared.  
"WHAT THE HELL?"  
"MONSTER! HE'S A MONSTER!"  
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DIDN'T NOTICE EARLIER!"  
"I WAS DISTRACTED, NAMI-SIS!"

I ignored their squabbling and walked back up to the upper deck to try to get some peace as I completed my weight training. Zoro was the first to follow and sat next to me.  
"I forgive you for getting a bounty before me." He said and I gave him a look.

"10 million still seems a bit high for just escaping from prison though." Nami said as she walked up to sit on my other side.  
"I didn't say I escaped from prison. I escaped from the MARINE HEADQUARTERS in Loguetown. That's a whole different ball of pain." I replied without turning to look at her as I began leg training.

"Anyway, why is Luffy so late?" Zoro wondered aloud and I smirked.  
"Maybe they made him work for a month or something." I said as Nami slapped me in the arm, nearly sending me off balance.

"Why didn't you tell them that it was just an accident caused by those marines? You're so stubborn!" She complained as I regained my feet.  
"Hey, when I'm exercising, do you think you could try to NOT hit me?" I hissed and she just glared at me.  
"Hey, lets go see him! We can eat while we're there too!" Usopp said and I grinned.  
"Good idea!" I said, dropping my weights as we stood to go inside the restaurant.

We were greeted at the door by a large man with huge forearms and a million beli smile. "Welcome to our restaurant, mere bastards!" He greeted and I grinned at him, placing a hand on Zoro's arm briefly as he growled slightly.

"Table for four please!" I said with a polite smile.  
"Of course! Right this way." He replied and showed us to a very nice table.  
"Here is our shitty menu! May I order you all something to drink to start?" He asked, and I ordered some rum as the others got their favorite drinks.

"By the way, have you seen a kid with a straw hat and red vest around?" I asked innocently as he gathered our drink menus.  
"Ah. That shitty kid that busted up the restaurant. Honor is having him work here for a year to pay off his debt." He replied as he walked off, and we exchanged glances.

"A year? That's a long period of time.." Usopp said hesitantly and I scoffed.  
"This is Luffy we're talking about. They'll probably kick him out before he destroys the place even more." I said as I fiddled with the tableware. Zoro snorted.  
"You have a point there." He said as the waiter came back with our drinks and took our orders.

"I still can't get over the fact that you already have a bounty, Kai." Nami said quietly as she sipped her wine. I frowned and leaned back in my chair, relaxing as the rum hit my stomach.

"What, worried that marines will come after us?" I snorted as I took a drink.  
"No. It's just that every time we fight someone, you end up getting hurt." She said bluntly and I nearly choked on my drink as Usopp laughed.

"That hurts, but I really don't have anything I can say in my defense. I'll put up much more interesting fights from now on." I said with a grin as I took the comment in stride, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

* * *

"Hey, busboy!" Nami said with a wave of her hand. I looked over to see Luffy standing there with a white apron on.  
"I heard you have to work here for one year!" Usopp gloated.  
"The apron suits ya." I said with a smirk, and Zoro leaned over to look at our captain over his shoulder.  
"Hey, can I change our pirate flag?" He teased.

Luffy got mad.

"You're sitting comfortably and eating while I work? That's so unfair!" He shouted. Zoro glanced at me and I smirked along with him as Luffy stuck some snot in his drink.  
"Unfair? But we have the right to be here." He said.  
"That's true." Usopp agreed as he tried to keep from laughing.

"This restaurant is really good though..So it does almost seem unfair..." Zoro said with a smile as he raised his glass to his lips...

_...and shoved the contents down Luffy's throat. _

"So why don't **YOU** drink this!" He said as he wrestled with Luffy, and I started laughing so hard that tears ran down my face.  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" shouted Luffy as he writhed on the ground.  
"WHAT AM _I _DOING? WHAT ARE_ YOU_ DOING!" Zoro yelled right back.

"Oh! Thank the heavens that we have met today! You may laugh at me, my love!" a voice interrupted and a weirdo appeared from out of nowhere to fawn over Nami. I stared in shock at the caterpillar working it's way across the man's brow.

"C-curly brow..." I muttered in shock as Usopp nearly spit out his drink.  
"It looks like a caterpillar!" He exclaimed as Zoro snorted and looked smug. A tic started in my eye at the chef's fawning over Nami.

See, this is why I don't mind being mistaken for a guy. I don't want idiots like_ that_ all over me.

"As long as you are with me, I could be a pirate or a demon! Oh, but we are fated to never be..." He swooned and I groaned, rolling my eyes.  
"Is that because of me?" came a rough voice, and I looked up to see a man with a peg leg standing against a wall.

"Honor!" Curly brow said in shock, and the head chef grinned.

"This is a good opportunity to get rid of you. Go on and become a pirate. We don't want you around here anymore." The head chef said and I snorted.  
"I can see why, what with his womanizing." I scoffed and Zoro smirked, but didn't say anything.

"Hey, crazy old man. I am the second chef of this restaurant, and you're telling me you don't need me? What the hell?" Curly Brow asked as he gritted his teeth. I was surprised he didn't break his cigarette in half.

"You always fight with customers, and only flirt with beautiful women." The man started to list. "Your food isn't that great, you drag the rest of us down. Most of the other chefs don't like you. I think you know that though." He finished and I let out a low whistle.  
"That's a long list." I whispered to Usopp, who nodded.

"So, you need to get out of here, and become a pirate or whatever you want. But you need to get out of this restaurant as soon as possible, Sanji." The head chef said as a closing statement, and Curly Brow stalked forward, grabbing him by the collar.

"What the hell are you talking about, Zeff? You think I'm not going to get mad about this, you crazy coot? Whatever the reason, you don't hate my food. I won't leave even if you tell me to." He ground out angrily.  
"YOU DARE TO GRAB MY COLLAR, BRAT?" Peg leg shouted as he threw the younger chef into our table.  
I grabbed for my plate and rum hastily, as did the rest of the crew.

"LISTEN! I DON'T CARE HOW MANY TIMES YOU TELL ME TO LEAVE, BUT I'LL BE A CHEF HERE FOREVER! I'LL BE HERE TILL YOU DIE!" the cook Sanji yelled angrily as the head chef snorted and walked off.  
"Well, I won't die for 100 years." He retorted and Luffy grinned at the cook.

"That's good! You got permission from the owner!" he said as he put his fists on his hips.  
"I DON'T WANT IT!" Sanji yelled at him.

Not more than two seconds later, the table was righted and all of us had cups of hot tea in front of us, with the exception of Nami.  
Curly Brow was fawning over her again.

"I am so sorry for the mess. As an apology, I've ordered you a fruit in macedonia along with a Gran Mane wine." He said, serving her carefully. She clapped her hands together and smiled.  
"Thanks!" she exclaimed happily.

I took a sip of my drink.

"This is good tea." I mentioned to Zoro, who nodded.

"HEY! What about us?" Usopp asked Curly Brow angrily as Zoro took a drink.  
"What? I've ordered you hot tea, and you're still unsatisfied, asshole?" He growled and Usopp looked angry.  
"You want a fight? Beat him up, Zoro." He said and I snorted as Zoro's eyebrow twitched.  
"Do it yourself."

"You don't even take dishes away for us guys!" Usopp complained, pointing at the dishes in question.  
Curly Brow leaned over the plate.

"You didn't finish your mushrooms. Eat em." He retorted lightly.  
"I left it because I hate mushrooms. I ate a poisonous one when I was very young." Usopp said as he and the Sanji glared each other down.  
"This isn't a poisonous mushroom, so eat it!"

"Could you both stop fighting for me?" asked Nami sweetly.  
"Yes Ma'am."

"By the way, Mr. Chef... The food here is quite expensive.." Nami trailed off as she caressed the cook's cheek and he had a look of rapture on his face.  
"For you, its on the house." He said as she gave him a huge.  
"Oh thank you!" She said happily.

"But you still have to pay." He said, glaring at the rest of us as he walked off, a spring in his step.

"You're tricky." Zoro said with a slight frown and perturbed look.  
"You'd better watch me!" Nami said with a grin as she swirled her wine.

* * *

A few days after that, I was standing on the deck doing weight training with a spare set of cuffs as Zoro was napping. A million thoughts were going through my mind, and none of them exactly pleasant.

"What's on your mind."

I turned to see Zoro frowning lightly as he stretched out on the deck. I groaned as I set my weights down and walked over to sit next to him.  
"Are you serious about looking for 'Hawk eyes' Mihawk?" I asked him softly. He raised his eyebrow at me.

"Why wouldn't I be? I'm going to be the best swordsman in the world, and he's the current best. It only makes sense that I would fight him." He responded and I let out a slow smile.

"Then nothing I say will change your mind about it." I mumbled to myself as I leaned my head back. If he was this dead set against it, there was nothing I could do.  
"What are you talking about?" He said in a low tone. I almost winced.

"Hawk eyes Mihawk is one of the Shichibukai, the Seven Gods of the Sea." I said and Zoro just gave me a look.  
"I know that. So why are you so worried?" He asked and I closed my eyes.  
"Am I that transparent?" I said to myself.

I stood as I gathered my training gear. "I'm worried..because you have no idea what you're doing trying to fight him now." I said matter of factly as his expression became angry and he got to his feet, storming over to me.

"So what? So you're saying that I should just give up now?" He hissed as he stared me down.  
"I didn't say that. But you aren't ready yet." I said quietly, moving past him and down into the cabins.

I breathed deeply, trying to compose myself as I heard some commotion up on the deck. Zoro could handle it. I groaned, putting my head in my hands.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't notice when someone walked up behind me. I saw stars as someone smashed me over the head, and passed out.

* * *

I awoke with a jerk as I was dragged up the stairs.

"What the hell?" I snapped as I struggled to get to my feet.

I took inventory of myself quickly. My hands were tied behind my back, my spare cuffs still on from training that morning. My ankles were tied securely, there was no way I could slip out of them. I looked up as I was dragged to see...

"Nami? What the fuck are you doing?" I snarled as she dragged me into the galley. She grinned down at me.

"I have no idea how you got such a high bounty if I could sneak up on you that easily." She said as she tapped my nose with her finger. I snapped at her finger and she frowned as I glared at her.  
"You really think that we'll let you get away with double crossing us?" I hissed as I fought the ropes. She merely smirked and walked out the door, and I heard it lock behind her.

_Was she...crying?_

I let myself relax on the ground as I cast around for something to cut my bonds with. Nothing. She was thorough.

I took several deep breaths, trying to calm down. I knew that Zoro would be pissed when he found the Going Merry missing, and I hoped that Johnny and Yosaku had been able to get off the boat. I rolled over and managed to pull myself onto the couch in the galley, settling in for a long ride. If Nami was planning on turning me in for my bounty, then this could get ugly.

* * *

Days passed and I was still feeling fine, if a bit dizzy from lack of food. I had gone without food before, and this wouldn't be any different from back then. I was about to take a nap when Nami entered the galley with a large...fish-man? I stared as Nami turned to the merman.

"Pick him up and follow me." She said and the merman walked over to me, trying to intimidate me with his height. I grinned up at him from under my headband, daring him to touch me as I relaxed into the couch.  
"This one is pretty defiant." He said as he picked me up by the jacket collar and threw me over his shoulder.

"You know that you just missed the marines, right?" He asked and Nami snorted.  
"I saw them leave. It's fine though, I can collect his bounty anytime. Just keep him locked up securely."

The trip was short and sweet, and Nami stopped outside the door of a large building.

"Just stuff him in one of the cells, I'll deal with him later." she said as she walked inside the park as the merman turned to walk around the building. Down flight after flight of stairs we went before he stopped in front of a spartan cell, empty save for some chains lying in the corner.

"You're pretty quiet." the merman said as he wrapped the chains around me.  
I smirked dangerously.

"What, am I supposed to threaten your kneecaps?" I said caustically, and the large fishman laughed.  
"You have a sense of humor. Unusual for a human." He said as he connected the chain to the wall and stood.  
"You seem intelligent. Unusual for a merman." I responded dryly.

His fist plowed into me and I slammed against the wall with a jerk, but didn't let out a sound  
"You're going to be a fun guest." The merman said as he left the dungeon.

I sighed as I started to work on reaching my cuffs in the dark. If I could just reach them, I could get out of this mess. There was no way in hell I was going to meekly go back to imprisonment by the marines. They'd probably just turn me back over to that man anyway.

And I would rather _DIE_ than go back to that life.


	11. Chapter 11

I didn't even glance up as the door to the dungeon opened. Most likely just the fishman bastard here to have some more fun anyway.

The last few hours had not been very fun. The merman I had insulted had decided to spend his free time taunting me, and was actually pretty bad at it.  
Didn't have a decent punch anyway.

"What do you want NOW." I groaned as I sat against the wall.  
"Kai?"

Zoro?

My eyes snapped open as I recognized the voice. I lunged to my feet as they tossed the swordsman into the cell and I slammed against my chains as they creaked and tightened painfully.  
"Fucking bastards..." I snarled angrily as I fought the restraints.  
"Enjoy the companion while you can, human." The merman taunted as he set the keys down on a desk, and I smirked nastily.  
"When I get out of here, I'm going to kill you all." I snarled, glaring at the door after they had left. I then turned my attention to Zoro.

_What the fuck?_

"Shit. What the hell happened?" I asked as I sagged somewhat.

He was shirtless, covered in bandages, and looked just as roughed up as I was.  
He grinned at me.

"You were right. Mihawk's pretty tough." was his reply. I groaned at his stupidity as I tried to get to my handcuffs once more, my wrists already raw and bleeding from previous attempts.

_As if that would stop me though._

"Well you're still alive. I guess that's something." I grunted and winced in pain as my wrist scraped painfully against the ropes. "So why did you follow Nami?" I asked, trying to cover the twinge in my voice with questions.

"Tch. Luffy's troublesome as usual. He wants only her to be our navigator." He replied, and I bit back my retort.  
"What happened to you?" He asked and I tried to keep the pain out of my voice.

"Nothing you need to worry about." I said with a hiss as I gathered my wits about me for another attempt at the cuffs.  
"That doesn't answer my question, shitty fighter." He said with a glare.

I shrugged, and his look grew ferocious.

"Kai, tell me what happened." he said, and his voice was commanding.  
I sagged.

_No use in fighting someone who would find a way to get an answer out of you anyway._

"Nami was going to turn me in for my bounty." I said slowly, not meeting his gaze as I bit my lip. I hadn't realized just how scary he could look when he was mad.  
"That fucking sea-witch.." He snarled. I took a deep breath and began to try to reach for my ankles instead. I still had my knife on me, maybe.

"Well, being turned in to the marines is much better than what could happen. I mean, at least I could break out of the marine's prison." I frowned as I realized that I couldn't quite reach the knife in my boot at this angle. "Hey, can you get the dagger out of my boot?" I asked, stretching my legs out. Zoro gave me a smirk and twisted around to pull the dagger from my shoe.

"Didn't know you carried these around with you." He said as his brow furrowed in concentration as he cut through his bonds, then turned to me.  
"Give me some credit as an escape artist, at least. " I snipped as he lifted the chains off of me.  
"Tch. They really wanted to keep you here, huh." He said snarkily as he cut through the ropes surrounding my chest.

I pulled my wrists in front of me and undid the cuffs deftly, slinging them into the corner of the cell as I reached to untie my legs. Zoro took in my ragged breathing and bloody wrists and hands, but said nothing until I was done rubbing feeling back into my extremities.

"Don't spew more nonsense about being turned in to the marines. We'd break you out anyway." Zoro snapped as I stood and offered him a semi-grin.  
"That's reassuring." I said as I breezed over to the door and grabbed the rope lying on the floor and tied it to my dagger.

"You probably don't remember this, but back in Orange Town when we fought Buggy, you told me you were a gladiator when you were delirious." He said, after a few moments of watching me try to snag the keys.  
I stiffened.

"I must have really been out of it." I bit out in a staccato tone as I finally snagged the keys around the knife hilt, and dragged them over. I picked them up and unlocked the cell from the outside. Zoro grabbed his sword from the desk and we proceeded to walk up the stairs.

I was also trying not to stare at him.

_Godamn little old ladies and shirtless swordsmen. _

I mentally slapped myself.

_Don't oogle your comrades!_

_

* * *

_

We entered Arlong Park, and were surrounded by several Mermen.

"Hey, didn't we just put you in the dungeon?" one asked Zoro. I smirked, seeing an outlet for my anger present itself, and _moved._

To onlookers, it would have seemed as if I materialized out of thin air in front of the merman. I grinned, cocked my fist, and watched the look of shock on the merman's face as he flew backwards to crash into the wall. He slid down the wall slowly, and collapsed into a heap. I looked over my shoulder at the swordsman.

"Hey, Zoro, lets have some fun." I called to him, and he smirked evilly, already drawing his sword.  
"That's some crazy power you've got. I thought you were all speed." He complimented and I grinned as the mermen approached.

"Oh, you have no idea." I laughed, shooting forward to unleash hell's fury on my opponents. Zoro sliced through his half with ease, and in under three minutes, all the mermen guarding Arlongs park were either dead or severely wounded.

"Well, I'm not leaving just yet." Zoro said as he sheathed his sword and stripped a merman of his hawaiian print shirt and slid his arms into it. I raised an eyebrow as he didn't bother to button it up, letting it drape across his shoulders.

"Because of Nami?" I asked curiously.  
"Yea. I promised Luffy that I'd bring her back." He said, sitting in a large throne like chair, completely relaxed. I looked around for something to tie my wrists with, they were bleeding pretty badly.  
"Then that's what we'll do. Captain's orders." I said simply as I ripped another of the mermen's shirts into strips.

Zoro put his hands behind his head and rested his ankle on his knee. "This is all getting so complicated." He complained with a slight lift of his eyebrow, and I grinned.  
"Luffy has a tendency to make that happen more than we'd like. But I trust his judgment, even if I don't trust Nami." I said lightly as I began to wrap the strips of cloth around my wrists. I ignored the stare I earned from the comment, uncomfortable with the gaze.

"What's that noise?" Zoro asked, and I shrugged. There was a sound like a horn going off, and I focused for a moment.  
"Over here." I said as I moved over to a wall and scaled it easily. Zoro made it up next to me as I looked down.

_An octopus?_  
No that wasn't quite right.  
An octopus m_erman_ was standing on the reef below us, with some food held on a stick.

"Are you the one who blew the trumpet?" Zoro asked, and the merman stared up at us.  
"AH! Who are you? I am Hatchan, though you may call me Hatchi." He said and I grinned.

"Are you a merman too?" Zoro asked him, his hand ghosting over his sword.  
"Oh! I am an octopus merman. You are humans, correct? Are you marines or guests?" He asked.

"Marines?" Muttered Zoro as I smiled.  
"We're guests!" I called, and Zoro lifted his eyebrow at me.

"But Arlong isn't here!" Hatchi said, scratching his head.  
"We're looking for him." Zoro said, and Hatchi lit up.

"Arlong went to go capture this guy with a long nose in Cocoyashi village." He said, and Zoro and I exchanged a look.

_That's GOT to be Usopp. Better go get him..._

"How do we get there?" I asked, and the merman motioned to a large vase floating in the water next to him.  
'"Jump in! You're guests, so I'll take you there." He said, and I grinned. I planted my hands on the ledge and lifted myself up and over, flipping down to the ground.  
"Show off." muttered Zoro as he climbed down.

I got into the vase which was wobbling erratically by the time Zoro got in. I grabbed at the edge of the vase and got my feet under me carefully.  
"Thank you for taking us." I said politely and the merman shrugged.

"Guests of Arlong's are special!" He said as he began to drag the vase along. Zoro and I exchanged glances as we tried to enjoy the ride.

I fought to keep my eyes from wandering to the swordsman's bandaged chest.

_Damnit Zoro!_

* * *

The ride was quick and thankfully uneventful. I surveyed the village while Hatchi chatted with Zoro for a few moments.

"This is Cocoyashi Village. Arlong should be around here somewhere." The octopus said, his arms pointing in every direction.  
"Thanks." Zoro nodded as Hatchi got back into the water.  
"You're welcome! Please come again. I'm going now." He said as he took off. Zoro waved at him, rather confused.

"What a weird...merman..." He deadpanned and I snorted.

"Well, Arlong is here somewhere..." I said as he walked up next to me.  
"Nevermind that for now. Let's find long-nose first." He said as we began to move into the village.  
"If Usopp had come here, he probably would have been seen in the town square. We should check there first." I said as I moved unerringly towards the middle of town.

"Hm. Knowing how loud he is, that's not a bad idea." Zoro complimented as we walked. I shrugged, and put my hands on the back of my head.  
"Thanks." I said as we walked up to a local.

"Excuse us!" I said brightly with a wave. "We're looking for a guy with a long nose and a bandanna. Have you seen anyone like that around?" I asked.

The man gave us a sideways glance, then grabbed my wrist, yanking me into an alleyway. My eyes widened at the sudden contact on my wrists and I hissed in pain.  
"Hey! What are you doing?" Zoro snapped as he lunged for the guy. I held out my arm, smacking him lightly across the chest.

"This makes sense. If Arlong is after Usopp, then we can't talk about it in the middle of the square." I bit out, cradling my wrist against my chest somewhat.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were injured. The long-nosed fellow though, Arlong just took him back to the Park." The man said.  
"WHAT? We just missed him?" Zoro exclaimed in disbelief and I snorted.  
"Just our luck." I said, rolling my eyes.

"How do we get to Arlong Park from here?" he asked hastily, and I quickly memorized the man's instructions as we sped off.  
"I can't believe this! We were just there!" Zoro bellyached and I shrugged as I ran, not an easy feat.  
"Seems to be par for the course today." I replied easily.

* * *

"Well, this sucks ass." I grumbled as I kept pace with Zoro easily as we ran along the path.  
"I'm aware of that. We have to hurry." He said. I frowned as I heard a wooshing sound from the distant treeline.

"What's that noise?" Zoro asked, suddenly distracted. I listened too, and heard the cracking of tree branches, followed by a boom sound.  
"An explosion maybe?" I wondered aloud.  
"Nevermind. We gotta hurry, or Usopp's gonna die." He said as we kept our pace even.

And then, suddenly, a ship.  
A ship came out of fucking **nowhere** and plowed through the trees.

We ground to a halt to stare at it for a moment, mind boggled.

"KAI! ZORO!" yelled the occupants of said ship.  
"LUFFY!" Zoro yelled as he fell back, eying the ship with trepidation. I was already running as the boat smashed into us, sending us flying several hundred feet before coming to rest in a broken heap.

I lay back on the ground as I stared at the sky, feeling dazed.

**_Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeak._**

My vision focused as the mast came toppling down and I dove to one side to avoid it as it crashed into the ground where my head had been. Zoro emerged from the wreckage, bleeding from a head wound and very mad.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PLAYING AT?" He screamed at Luffy, who took the comment in stride as usual.  
"I'm not playing. We came to get Nami back. Did you find her? What about Usopp and Johnny? Kai, where have you been?" Luffy asked a billion questions a second. I slapped a hand over Zoro's mouth and grinned at the captain.

"Speaking of Usopp, we have to hurry back." I said as we both stood, beginning to run off.  
"Why? What happened?" Luffy asked curiously. Zoro turned to reply.  
"Arlong captured him. If we don't hurry, he'll be killed."

"HE WAS ALREADY KILLED!" a voice interrupted. I blinked as Zoro turned to the source of the noise, finding Johnny standing to one side of the ship wreckage, tears running down his face.  
"What are you talking about?" Zoro asked, his voice becoming even, measured.

"Usopp was killed by Nami-sis!" He said, and my eyes widened with rage.

"The hell?" I snarled, angry.

"SAY THAT AGAIN! IF YOU DON'T TELL THE TRUTH, I'M GOING TO BEAT YOU UP!" Luffy shouted as Zoro tried to restrain him.  
"Stop it, Luffy! It's not Johnny's fault!"  
"Then why would he say something so stupid! NAMI WOULD NEVER KILL USOPP! WE ARE FRIENDS!"  
"I don't care if you believe me, but I saw it with my own eyes!" Johnny yelled, still crying.

I stiffened at the sound of feet tapping against the ground.  
"Who is your friend, Luffy?"

I turned to face the traitor, barely tamping down on my rage.

"Nami." I snapped, my eyes dilating horribly.

"What are you all doing here?" She said, sounding almost bored as she leaned her bo staff against her shoulder. Zoro's arm across my chest stopped me from moving forward and I stood down, my fists clenched impossibly tight.

_Damn her for what she almost reduced me to._

"Why are you asking that? You are my friend, so you're coming with us." Luffy said, placing a hand on his hat. Nami sighed.  
"You give me such a headache." She said, and tilted her head, and her eyes were dead.  
My rage died off a bit at that look.

_I knew it all too well._

"Friend? Don't make me laugh. All you need is someone you can rely on, am I right?" She said caustically, and Sanji started to flutter.

"Nami! You remember me? Lets go on travels together!" He exclaimed, and Zoro snapped.

"GET LOST! WHY ARE YOU MAKING THINGS MORE COMPLICATED?"  
"Aaaah? You don't realize that my love is stronger than mountains?"  
I rolled my eyes and stepped in between them, shoving them apart.

"Both of you, knock it off for right now." I said as a breeze kicked up around me, silencing them both as I glared, my eyes shadowed by my headband.

"I told you this is an evil witch!" Johnny was shouting as he pointed at Nami, shaking with emotion. "In order to get all the treasure under her hometown, she joined Arlong! She's willing to kill anyone!" He said as he started to tear up again.  
"She is a cold blooded witch! You've all been tricked by her! I saw her kill Usopp with my own two eyes!" He snapped.

Nami smirked, but her eyes were still dead.

"So what? Want to get revenge?" She said leisurely, calmly. I began to work the situation through my head. 

_Something wasn't making sense._

"Let me tell you a little something. Right now, Arlong really wants to kill Roronoa Zoro because he and his friends have upset him. Even though you are as strong as the devil, you can't compare your strength to the real thing." She said, and my gaze dropped to her hands.

_Why was one of them covered in a glove?_

"You trying to protect us, Nami?" I said with a slow growl deep in my throat. She looked away from me quickly. Zoro observed this before speaking.

"Nevermind about that. Where's Usopp?" He asked, almost calmly.  
"Why don't you try looking for him at the bottom of the sea?" Nami asked, and Zoro's expression grew livid.

"Watch your mouth!" He snapped, and Sanji's leg swung for the swordsman's head.

"You too, idiot! What kind of gentleman hurts a lady?"  
"Get out of my way, this is none of your business."  
"Heh. Ever since that shameful battle, you've become a high tempered person."

What?

Nami's laugh echoed above us all, and I turned to her.

"If you want to fight, get off this island. I don't want outsiders to waste their lives here." She said and I smirked. She grew slightly more unsettled. "Don't you understand? The whole reason I became your friend was for money! And now you don't have any, so I don't care about you anymore." She said.

"Oh, we don't? As I recall, I have a rather high bounty...don't I?" I said nastily, and even _I_ didn't like my tone. Nami turned away quickly, but I caught the flush of shame.

So she hadn't liked doing that.

"I'll return your ship to you. Just get out of here and find a new navigator or One Piece or whatever you want to do. Just get out of here! You're pissing me off!" She said as I let out a breath.

Thump

I glanced over to see Luffy lying in the middle of the road.

"I'm going to sleep here." He said calmly, putting his hands behind his head.

"SLEEP? NOW?" Johnny shouted in disbelief.  
Luffy closed his eyes.

"I've never thought of getting off this island, and I don't care what happens here. Besides, I'm sleepy." He countered brilliantly.  
Zoro slapped his face into his hand, and I placed my hand on his shoulder consolingly.

Nami's face contorted. "STOP PLAYING AROUND! YOU REALLY WILL GET KILLED!" she screamed, and walked off. I leaned against a tree as Zoro planted himself on the ground next to Luffy.  
"What a troublesome captain.." He muttered and I grinned wanly.

Johnny stared at us in amazement.

"You all are really weird. What that witch said is true! Usopp is already dead. Besides, Arlong is looking for you." He exclaimed. Yosaku nodded his agreement.  
"There is no reason to stay here, and I trust Johnny." he chimed in.  
"It was nice knowing you, even if for a short time. We're going to leave now, because we aren't ready to die just yet." Johnny said, and they both gave us short bows.  
"Uh-huh." I grunted, examining my fingernails.  
"I hope we meet again!"  
"You're strong, Zo-bro! Take care!"  
"You too." Zoro said calmly as he leaned his sword on his shoulder.

Sanji took a seat under a tree and pulled out a cigarette, putting it to his lips. He lit it and took a few long drags, and my eye twitched.

"If you're going to smoke one of those, share." I said, holding my hand out. He looked like he was going to protest for a moment, but handed me one unsurely. I accepted it and the lighter, and put the cigarette to my lips and flicked the lighter. I inhaled slowly as I returned it to Sanji.

"I didn't know you smoked." Zoro commented with a raised brow. I slid down against the tree with a small grin.  
"Only when I'm stressed the fuck out." I said lightly as my hands shook.

Silence reigned for a few more minutes as I slowly drew on the cigarette, feeling the nicotine hit my blood and enjoying the low it brought. I exhaled through my nose slowly, letting the smoke drift around my face as I leaned my head back.

"Huuuuu..." My eyes closed as I raised my hand to my mouth again and took another drag. My hands stilled slowly and I relaxed.

"Hey." Sanji said, directing the opening to Zoro.  
"Huh?"  
"Do you think Nami really killed long-nose?"  
"Maybe. Even though she's small, I once got beat up by her. Maybe she really has killed Usopp."

I dropped the hand that held the cigarette to stare at him, open-mouthed. "What do you mean she beat you up?" I said as my brain short-circuited.

Sanji's brain, however, went in a different direction.

"SMALL?" he glared, standing up. "NAMI'S BREASTS AREN'T SMALL!" He said kicking at Zoro, and I almost inhaled my cig in surprise.  
Zoro moved to block his kick with his sheath.

"Why is your head stuck in the gutter?" He snapped.

We suddenly all realized that Usopp was stuck in between the two attacks, both of which connected with his face.  
"I'm alive...but now I might really die..." He stammered out as he hit the ground.

I groaned as I finished my cig, stomping the butt of it out into the ground with my heel as I stood. "You idiots have really done it now." I said as I shoved them aside, and checked on Usopp. "He's fine, just unconscious." I said as I moved over to Luffy.  
I toed him.

"Hey. Captain." I said tonelessly. He didn't move.  
I glared.

"LUFFY!" I screamed in his ear, and he shot up.  
"What's going on? Why are you yellin...USOPP!" He shouted, scrambling around me to get to our fallen crew member.

'USOPP! DID NAMI DO THIS TO YOU?" He yelled in consternation while Sanji pointed at Zoro.

"It's our fault." He said, and Zoro crossed his arms, glaring.  
"No, it's only your fault, perverted cook."

"Luffy, Kai! You're here too?" Usopp asked, and I waved while we all made our greetings. His expression grew fierce though.  
"Nami is the problem though." He said, and I glared into an undefined point in the trees. "She is the one who saved me!" He said.

What?

"I think there's some reason that she joined those mermen." Usopp said with a hard look on his face.  
"Other than money?" I drawled, still sore. Zoro shushed me.

"It's hopeless. There's nothing you can do to change Arlong's system." A voice came from behind us. I blinked as I turned around to see a tall woman with blue hair and tattoos facing us.  
"Nojiko.."  
"Who's that?"  
"Nami's older sister."  
"Nami's sister! No wonder she's so beautiful!"  
"What do you mean by that?" Zoro asked, getting the conversation back on track.

"Please don't get involved with our business. I will tell you everything if you leave this island." Nojiko said, her hands on her hips.  
Luffy shook his head.

"I don't want to listen to that, because I don't want to hear about her past." He said as he walked off.  
Nojiko looked confused.  
"He..."

Zoro leaned against a tree with a grin.

"Don't worry about it. That's just how he is. We'll listen, but nothing is gonna change." He said, and promptly started snoring.  
"Then...why are you sleeping?" I asked at the same time Nojiko did, my eyebrow twitching somewhat.

"I'll listen to you."  
"Me too, beautiful!"

I groaned. "I will too, if only to keep this idiot in line." I said, jerking my thumb at Sanji.

Nojiko let out a soft smile.

"So that's why you all give Nami such a headache." She said, and launched into her story.

"I am Nami's adopted older sister. Our mother, Bellemere, was a marine who adopted us both when we had nowhere else to go. Nami and I were always getting into trouble, and she would always bail us out. Nami has always been excellent at map making, and wanted to draw a map of the entire ocean. We never had much money though, and that always bothered Nami."

Nojiko's eyes grew distant, as if she was remembering a difficult time.

"Arlongs pirates showed up though, and we had to pay money for every person in the village...Bellemere didn't have enough for all of us. She didn't lie though, and instead of paying for herself, paid for Nami and I, while saying that she would rather die than not be a mother. They shot her right in front of us."

I sucked in a breath.  
_Dear god._

"They found all of Nami's maps...and made her become their navigator. They threatened to kill us all if she didn't comply." Nojiko was saying, and I felt myself get angrier and angrier. "She is trying to buy this village for 100 million Beli. She has been working really hard for that! So for 8 years, that girl has never cried, has never asked anyone for help." Nojiko said, and I frowned.

How could I be so dense?

"Because she doesn't want to die like our mom, she has been fighting alone since she was 10. Do you have any idea how much pain she's been in?" Nojiko snapped. I took a breath, crossing my arms over my chest, while Usopp and Sanji looked touched.

"Because it was the only way to save the village..she decided to join with the people who killed her mother." Usopp said. Sanji had a much more serious reaction.  
"I WON'T LET ANYONE WHO HURTS NAMI LIVE!" He screamed, and Nojiko hit him on the head.

"I came here to tell you to not do anything stupid. If you get involved with her now, the mermen will become suspicious, and her plan of the past 8 years will be ruined." Nojiko said, and I pushed off the tree. "So I want you to not cause any more trouble for her." She said, and I walked past her, my expression giving away nothing, but..

"I'm going to murder Arlong for this." I said, and my voice was dead, chilled.

* * *

Every movement I made was full of tension as we walked into town, and the others refrained from speaking to me. Which was good.

"ARLONG!"

I looked up to see Nami holding a knife above her head, and Luffy restraining her arm.

"Luffy!" she exclaimed angrily, and turned away.  
"What is it now? You don't know anything!" She cried out as he stood behind her, unmoving.

"Nope." He said simply. "I don't know anything."

"It's none of your business!" She grabbed at some sand and started throwing it at him, and I forced myself to not look away.  
"I told you...to get off this island!" she cried in earnest, sobs shaking her thin form.

"Yes, you've already told me that." He said, waiting patiently for a sign from her.

Her shoulders shook, and she glanced over her shoulder.

"Luffy..."

Her voice sounded broken.

"_Help me.._."

Luffy placed his hat on her head and walked in front of her.

"OF COURSE I'LL HELP YOU!" he shouted angrily at the top of his lungs.

He walked up to us silently, the look on his face saying all that needed to be said.  
"Let's go."


	12. Chapter 12

We made our way through the crowd of people in front of Arlong park quietly until we were standing in front of Yosaku and Johnny.  
"Hey, the heroes are here." Johnny said as the two stood, and moved out of the way for us.

"Why are you letting them through but not us?" Someone in the crowd yelled, and I glared over my shoulder.  
"Because we can beat the shit out of Arlong." was my quiet reply.

The townspeople shut up as we walked up to the door, and Luffy reared back.

"Hey what are you..." Usopp began to say, and Luffy punched the doors off of Arlong park.  
I grinned.

"That's one hell of a door knocker." I deadpanned as Luffy marched in.

"Which one of you is Arlong." He said, his tone not quite asking, and not quite demanding. The merman with the saw-nose who was sitting on the chair Zoro had used gave us a hard look.  
"That's me. What do you want?" He asked as Luffy walked forward.  
"I'm Luffy."

_You gotta stop doing that..._

"Oh! You're Luffy. So who are you?" Arlong asked with barely a hint of humor.  
Luffy's gaze became hard.

"A pirate." was his brief reply as several merman thugs moved to block his way.

"Hey, wait a minute. Where do you think you're going? You have to deal with us before talking to him." They said, and I smirked. Luffy's arms stretched out, and he smashed their heads together, dropping them easily.

"Get out of my way." He snapped. Arlong's expression grew feral for a second.  
"What does a pirate need from me?" He asked, eyeing our captain.

**BAM**

Luffy punched him across the yard, and Arlong smashed into the side of the fence. Cracks appeared around the collision site, and the wall crumbled.

"Ar-ARLONG?" the mermen stammered at seeing their leader get sent flying across the yard.  
Luffy's eyes grew dark and angry.

"DON'T YOU DARE MAKE MY NAVIGATOR CRY!" He snarled. The mermen drew weapons and leaped for him.  
"You! You crossed the line!" They shouted as they jumped for him.

Sanji jumped into the fray.

"WEAKLINGS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO INTERRUPT!" He shouted, driving the attacking mermen away with a flurry of kicks. He stepped up next to Luffy as Zoro and I followed behind.

"Why did you come in first?" Sanji asked him, sounding rather upset.  
"I've never lost to anyone." Luffy said, misunderstanding the question.  
"Moron! I wasn't worried about you." He snapped.

"He meant that you aren't supposed to get all the fun, captain." I said, cracking my knuckles as some of the mermen flinched upon seeing me and Zoro.  
"You're...really good." Zoro complimented Sanji grudgingly.  
Usopp quavered behind us.

"Roronoa Zoro." the shark said as he crossed his arms over his chest.  
"That's them, right? I remember! Why did you trick me!" yelled Hatchi.  
I blinked.

"Oh, Hatchi. Long time no see." I said by way of greeting.

"How come that long nosed man is still alive?"  
"He should be dead."

Arlong stood up. "Pirates, huh? That's how you're all related." He said with a frown. "So all you really want is Nami. But you're just pieces of shit! What can you do?" He laughed, and Hatchi made his mouth into a trumpet.

"You aren't worthy to fight Arlong! I'll feed you to my pet! Show yourself, my fighter!" the octopus said, blowing a melody on his snout. Usopp went into hysterics.

"HERE COMES THE SEA MONSTER!" he shrieked, while the mature fighters of the group (_read: Luffy, Sanji, Zoro and I_) just watched as a gigantic sea king cow floated up in the middle of the bay in the park.

Luffy and Sanji didn't even bat an eyelash.  
"What, it's you?" asked Luffy.  
"You're a merman, huh?" Sanji commented.

_What? They know this cow?_

The cow teared up and started to swim away when Arlong fixed it with a glare.

"Mohmoo...what are you doing." He said, his voice two inches away from being a death threat. The sea cow stopped moving, and started shaking. "If you really want to go, I won't stop you." Arlong said, and the menace in his voice was palpable. "Just go, Mohmoo." He said.

_It sounds more like you're saying, I'll kill you if you leave._

The cow turned back to attack, more frightened of Arlong than us, and the mermen lunged with it. I dropped into stance while Zoro flicked his sword out of it's sheath. Luffy however, was raring for a fight.

"Leave it to me, I'll handle all of them." He said, and I blinked.

"Oi, that doesn't sound good." I said lightly, and watched as Luffy slammed his feet into the concrete.|  
"Hey, what is he doing?" Sanji asked.

Zoro grimaced, a hand on his chin as he watched intently.  
"No idea. I've got a bad feeling about this though."

Luffy spun around so his body was coiled like a tightly wound spring, and I understood.

"SHIT! GET OUTTA HERE!" I yelled at Zoro and Sanji, shoving them out of the area.  
"What are you doing?" they snapped at me, and I grabbed their shirts, bodily moving them away from Luffy.  
"CRACK THE WHIP!" I shouted, and their faces fell as they understood instantly.

Luffy grabbed the horns of the sea cow and grinned while he spun the beast around like a whip and we dove for the ground. The long sea king's body decimated Arlong Park, knocking out all but the toughest fighters.

"I don't want to fight these weaklings...The only one I really want to fight is YOU!" Luffy screamed out, pointing at Arlong, who smirked angrily.  
"Really? That's great. I was thinking about killing you too." He said evilly.

Three of his henchmen stepped up to the plate, including Hatchi.

"Looks like we have to get involved too."  
"I'll never forgive you for what you did to my friends!"  
"We have to show them the difference between the species."

"So...looks like they want to fight now." He said with a grin that I returned.  
"Let's see if we can't do something about my boredom." I said with a smirk.

"Well, lets warm up first." the three fishmen said.  
"Arlong, you just relax." said the shark.  
"Yea, if we let you do anything, Arlong Park would be destroyed." said the surfer as Hatchi leaned down.

"What is that octopus doing?" Zoro asked blandly.

Sanji took a drag on his cigarette, looking bored.

"To prepare octopus, you have to boil it, then slice it into pieces. Eat it with some sauce, and it's a very nice appetizer." He said clinically as Luffy waved his hand at us.  
"Hey guys, listen." He was saying.

"BLACK INK!" Hatchi had decided to interject now. Zoro, Sanji and I dove away from the inky spray as Luffy took all of it in his eyes.

"IDIOT! Why didn't you dodge?" Zoro snapped at him.  
"AAAHH! I CAN'T SEE!" Luffy yelled.  
"GET OUT OF THERE!" Usopp yelled at him, and Luffy threw his hands up in the air.  
"HOW CAN I MOVE WHEN I CAN'T SEE!" he yelled back. "I can't move my legs.." He said, twitching his legs that were stuck in the concrete for emphasis. "...and I can't see!" I shook my head as Zoro palmed his face.

"Idiot..." he mumbled. Our attention was drawn by Usopp's shriek and pointed finger.

Unnoticed, Hatchi had grabbed a huge boulder and flung it at Luffy's head. It crashed down and broke apart as we stared in horror. When the dust cleared however, we made out Sanji's figure, his leg lifted high above his head with little effort.

"Geez...I just had to sign up with the craziest captain in the world." He muttered. I laughed at that, while Zoro only looked perturbed.  
"That's what I said when I met him!.."  
"That's what I was thinking too..."

Sanji grinned. "Anyway..you're a thousand times better than a guy who makes a woman cry." He continued, addressing Luffy as he lowered his leg. The mermen smirked.

"You are just a human with a little bit of skill. Never thought that pirates would become heroes. Anyway, you are nothing compared to us." The shark commented while Usopp tried to pull Luffy out of the concrete with little success. Sanji idly tapped his cigarette to clear the ashes from it.

"Nothing or something, I don't give a shit. Even though I look cultured, I was raised as a pirate." He said with a dangerous smirk, and the shark shook his head.  
"It seems you still don't realize the true power of mermen species." He stated, and I glanced over as Usopp was still trying to pull Luffy out of the concrete with no luck.

_Where was Zoro?_

"WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT! DIE!" Hatchi shouted, a rock above his head as he stood by Luffy's legs.  
"Yo, squidy." Zoro said from behind him.

_Oh. That's where he went._

"Can't you see they're busy? Come play with me for a while." He said with a grin. Hatchi glared at him.  
"Roronoa. I almost forgot about you." He snapped, and hurled the boulder down at Zoro's head.  
"YOU DARE TO TRICK ME?" YOU ARE THE ONE WHO HURT MY FRIENDS!"

"Stop talking about the past. I don't care about why you want to kill me, the situation here has changed. You aren't the ones who can defeat us..We're the ones who are here to beat you up!" Zoro said with a dangerous smirk.

I was rather caught up in watching Zoro prepare for his fight, and didn't notice when Usopp ran off with the third merman, only noticing when said merman ran right past me. I spun as I heard Arlong get up.

"Arlong, I told you to take a seat and relax." The shark said.  
Arlong chuckled.

"I'm not going to do anything, I just want to say something." He said, and Luffy became enraged.  
"You...You're going to be crushed by me!" Luffy said with a yell and a bullet punch.

Arlong caught Luffy's arm and his look turned dark.  
"You really think you can beat us up?" He said with a low growl.

"So what if we do?"  
"I KNOW I CAN, MORON! LET MY HAND GO NOW!"  
"So what is it you want to say?" Zoro asked, once more getting our group back on track as Arlong smirked.

"It's not necessary anymore." He said in response, and jammed his hand into the concrete.  
We stared as he lifted the slab Luffy's feet were trapped in, and threw it into the water.

"LUFFY!" yelled Zoro as Sanji went to dive in after him.  
"WAIT A MINUTE!" Zoro yelled at him and I placed my hand on his shoulder.

"I can handle shark boy." I said as Sanji jumped into the water, leaving his shoes, cigarettes, and lighter on the dock. The shark tried to go after him.

_Stupid move._

"Ah ah ah ah ahhhhhh..." I chided as I grabbed the back of his neck, and threw him back into the wall Arlong Park. He was getting to his feet when I darted in front of him and grabbed his neck. I smiled nastily at him.  
"Feel honored. I don't like using this move. It makes such a mess." I said with a smirk.

To onlookers, he exploded.

I didn't even blink as the shark's blood spattered everywhere, drenching me in the process. I walked back to view Zoro's fight, grabbing a shirt from a merman to wipe my face off as I did so. The villagers stared in shock and Zoro and Hatchi gave me matching looks of amazement.

"Kai...what the hell was that?" Zoro sputtered as I snuck a cigarette out of Sanji's shoes and lit up.  
"I killed him." I said idly, cupping my hand around the small flame as I inhaled the smoke.

God, I was so on edge today.

Zoro looked like he was going to bite my head off, but Arlong spoke up.

"So you're 'Godhand' Delanoi Kai." He said with a dangerous look. I leaned against a pillar of the park and exhaled the cigarette smoke.  
"What of it." I asked calmly while glaring down at him.  
"You're exactly like they say you are... brutal and vicious in a fight." He said with an uncomfortable smile as he sat back.  
I shrugged lazily.

"Oh really? I don't pay attention too much." I replied easily as I took another drag, my attention turning back to Zoro's fight.

Zoro was facing off with his opponent now, and the octopus seemed more than happy to oblige, starting off with a round of black ink. Zoro dodged it with ease and swung, his sword chopping through pieces of Hatchi's spikes.  
"Tch."

"MY HAIR!" Hatchi yelled, and I blinked. "I'll forgive you because I can grow it again." He said as his arms crossed over himself. Zoro backed up into a defensive posture.  
"You're so generous." He grunted, and I saw the stress on his face and my eyes flew to the bandages.

_Just how badly did he get hurt?_

"Did you know I'm really strong against swordsmen? Did you understand what I just said?" Hatchi said and Zoro lifted his sword.  
"How should I understand babbling like that?" He yelled, and swung.

Hatchi's hands slapped down on the blade, but Zoro didn't stop. He cut straight down, sliding past the merman's defenses and cutting his forehead. Hatchi grabbed his face in pain.  
"I don't have time to play with you!" Zoro snarled and I fought the urge to bite my lip.

"What the hell...why don't you just die?" Zoro snapped as he lunged. Hatchi dodged, leaping high, and grabbed a pillar that was out of the range of Zoro's sword. The swordsman was becoming angry at the fight-or-flight style, and it showed.

"What are you doing? Get down here! Are you trying to waste my time?" He snapped, sweating heavily. Hatchi merely gave him a strange look.  
"I heard you use a three-sword style. Why are you only using one?" He asked, and started to grin. "There's a reason why normal swordsmen can't beat me, you know. Do you know why that is?" He asked as Zoro collapsed, hitting the ground hard.  
I wanted to scream.

"Here's my chance!" Hatchi crowed in delight, and broke the pillar he was on. It started to fall towards Zoro, who had just gotten to his knees. "Break apart and fall onto Roronoa Zoro's body!" Hatchi exclaimed.  
Unfortunately for him, Zoro had gotten up. The swordsman grabbed the back of the merman's shirt, and threw him into the pillar as it fell.

"Why don't you just fall into it yourself?" He panted heavily, and fell over again.  
"Damnit! Why now?"He muttered and I twitched, wanting to move forward but unwilling to do so.

The broken pieces of the pillar moved.

"I'm really mad now, Zoro! I am Hatchi of the six-sword style dojo, the number one swordsman of merman island! You can't beat me no matter what you do!" Hatchi shouted as he emerged from the wreckage, brandishing a sword in each arm. Zoro got to his feet, putting his weight onto his legs.

"Six-sword style? Don't make me laugh. What can you do with those?" Zoro snorted as he stumbled slightly. "Let me fill you in on something, squidy. I made a promise that one day, I would meet one man in battle. Until that happens, not even Lady Death can take my life!" He snarled, and I finally did bite my lip, hard enough to draw blood.

"Yosaku. Johnny. Let me borrow your swords." He said as he tied his bandanna around his head and placed his sword in his mouth and grinned.

"It seems you have a serious injury, Zoro." Hatchi observed as Zoro finished tying the bandanna off.  
"It's none of your business." He snapped rather shakily and I looked dispassionately at the cigarette in my hands.

I dropped it to the ground, crushing it under my shoe.

"Zo-bro! Catch!" Johnny and Yosaku cried out as they flung their swords in a high arc towards the swordsman.  
"I WILL SHOW YOU THE WALL THAT REGULAR HUMANS CANNOT SURPASS! THE 6 SWORD STYLE THAT REQUIRES 6 ARMS AND A FLEXIBLE BODY!" Hatchi yelled as he began to move.

In one fluid movement, Zoro lunged, caught the two spinning swords, slid past Hatchi's defenses, and slashed him across the chest.

"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Johnny and Yosaku yelled, but I saw the look of pain on Zoro's face that he tried to hide.

_That move cost him..._

Hatchi stood, even angrier than before. "I will definitely kill you this time! Based on my calculations, your three swords cannot compare to my six." He said, adopting his stance again.  
Zoro stilled for a moment.

"Calculation?" He muttered, then smirked, but it wasn't a happy smirk. "You've made a big mistake." He said, and his eyes were far away from the fight. He brought himself back quickly however, and held up one of the swords.

"Even though I only have three swords, mine are all heavier than yours." He stated clearly.  
Hatchi snorted.

"Heavier? You said your swords are heavier than mine? Each of my swords weighs 660 pounds, way more than any of your puny human swords!" He said and I blinked.

_That's not what he meant._

"An idiot like you wouldn't understand anyway." Zoro said with a snort as the octopus lunged at him.

Zoro blocked the swords, but his arms were flung wide by the maneuver, allowing Hatchi go get in a headbutt to Zoro's chest. He tossed Zoro into the air and began to spin his swords in a circle like a windmill as gravity kicked in. "

Haha! Prepare to become ground meat!" Hatchi shouted, and Zoro seemed to still for a few seconds. Just before he touched the swords though, he spun in midair, cutting Hatchi's hands and landing cleanly on his feet. I grimaced as blood seeped through his bandages and I stood, preparing to dash for him if he fell again. He was panting and sweating, but looked determined to finish the fight. Hatchi began screaming at him and lunged once more.

This time though, Zoro's slash broke all of the merman's swords. He grinned and I cheered.

"So..do you understand why my swords are heavier than your now, stupid squid?" He asked, and sent Hatchi flying with his next attack.  
"Sorry, but you mean nothing to me." He said as he sheathed his sword and Sanji broke through the water holding Luffy.

"Sanji! Luffy!" I said as I dashed over to help drag Luffy out of the water.  
"Kai!" Luffy exclaimed as he gasped for breath. Sanji looked equally worse for wear and I helped drag him out of the water too. Sanji glanced around and his eyes widened as he glanced at the remains of the shark, then at my appearance.

"I'm not going to ask how that happened." He said as he slid his shoes back on. Luffy's eyes focused on something over my shoulder, and I spun to see Arlong getting ready to punch a sitting Zoro.

"Zoro!" I shrieked as I lunged, shoving him out of the way. He managed to gather his feet under him, but I was forced to flip over, not having time to get away from Arlong's fist. I brought my arms up just in time to block. The collision made my teeth shake and my ribs felt as if they were lit on fire as the concrete crumbled beneath me.

"Kai!" yelled Sanji and I heard Luffy winding up for something. Arlong smirked nastily as I lay on the ground, pinned beneath his fist, arms held up in front of me.

My eyes widened as his hand opened, grabbing my arms and lifting me with one hand as his other fist cocked.  
"SHIT!" I yelled as I tried to swing myself up over his arm.

"KAI! SWITCH!" I heard Luffy shout and I felt his hands on my shoulders as I was suddenly sent flying backwards, hitting the wall of the park and crashing straight through it.  
"KAI-BRO!" I heard Johnny and Yosaku exclaim as I flew through the air, skidding the last few feet as I just lay on the ground for a few moments.

_Damn it Luffy!_

* * *

It was a long walk back. My ankle had been twisted, my ribs were screaming at me, and I could feel blood dripping from my head.

I rejoined the group in time to see the villagers rejoicing.

"ARLONG PARK IS DESTROYED!" was the cheer, and I grinned at their happiness.

_Now where were my comrades?_

I was distracted by the arrival of a marine unit, led by a man who looked disturbingly like a weasel. "STOP RIGHT THERE!" He commanded, and the villager's looks grew dark.

"This is my lucky day." the commander said with a grin, ignoring them.

"I got to see an interesting fight from beginning to end. You are all extremely lucky, because no one will believe that unknown pirates defeated those mermaids." He said snidely.  
I frowned.

"Because of you, every single beli of Arlong's bounty will belong to me!" He crowed in delight as the villagers raised their makeshift tools. "Everyone drop their weapons! I, Nezumi, Commander of Unit 16, will be accepting all the treasure!" He shouted.

I growled in the back of my throat as I moved forward quickly.

He plans on taking credit for this himself?

_As if I'd let him._

I grabbed the back of his skull as I grinned maniacally at his underlings, who shrank back.  
"KAI-BRO!" Johnny and Yosaku cried out, while the other members of the crew looked relieved.

I tilted my head to give the commander my craziest don't-fuck-with-me grin.

"Hey, everyone's happy. Don't disturb them." I said in a low voice, the words sliding through the crowd with ease as the marine commander shook.

Several minutes later, he and his cronies were lying in a bloody heap.  
"You think you can get away with this?" He asked, his mouth swollen up from the beating he had taken.  
"Ehhhh you still talking like that?" asked Sanji casually.

Nami placed Luffy's hat back on his head, and knelt by the marine commander as she pulled her bo staff.  
"This..is for shooting Nojiko, and destroying Bellemere's tangerine grove." She said, and unleashed a fury filled smack to the marine's head, sending him flying into the water.  
"Thank you Nami! You're so cool!" I heard Nojiko say.

The marine commander swam to the pier, and as he tried to get up, Nami pulled on his whiskers angrily.  
"You are going to rebuild Goza village after you take care of those mermaids. You don't have the right to touch any of Arlong's prize money, since it belongs to the villagers. And one more thing..." She listed angrily as the weasel started crying.

"Anything! I'll do anything!" He exclaimed as she leaned in.  
"GIVE ME BACK MY MONEY!" She shouted at him.  
"I'll give it back..." He sobbed.

The instant we let him go however...

"You dirty pirates! You will all be punished soon! And you, Luffy! You are a captain, right? I'll repay you what you deserve!" He screamed at us as he and his men swam away.  
"Hey! He said he'd repay you something." Sanji said as Luffy watched them leave.

"How could he know I deserve to be the greatest pirate?" He asked wonderingly.  
"He didn't mean that." Zoro snapped.  
I rolled my eyes.

"You two." I said, pointing at Zoro and Luffy. "Need to see a doctor." I stated, my tone leaving no room for argument.


	13. Chapter 13

We managed to get Zoro and Luffy to the doctor's office with little incident. I slid down to sit at the wall while Luffy was whisked away to a different room, and the doctor fussed over Zoro before turning to me.

"You ok kid?" the doctor asked, sounding worried.

"I'm fine. He's more important. I'll have my breath back in a few minutes, then I'll try to help you with whatever I can." I said, pushing the doctor's hands aside and watching intently as he swiftly removed Zoro's bandages and haramaki, revealing a long, horrible cut. I grimaced at the sheer amount of blood and got to my feet with a wince.

_He's gonna need some help with that...guess I better clean up first._

"Hey, doc, you got any spare clothes around?" I asked as I coughed and refrained from touching my side. The doctor gave me a once over.  
"Go take a shower first, kid. I'll set some clothes just inside the bathroom door for you to wear." He said, and I surreptitiously slipped a roll of bandages into my hand as I left for the bathroom.

I removed my clothes quickly, dropping the bloody garments into a pile next to the bandages from my wrists, stomach, and chest. I caught sight of myself in the mirror and was brought up short.

_Ugly. _

That was the only word to describe the massive X-shaped thing that crisscrossed my chest. I frowned at it, tracing the pattern absentmindedly as it ran from shoulder to upper thigh.

_Don't worry about that right now. _

I stepped into the shower and set the bandages and my underwear on a high shelf where the doctor wouldn't see them. The water was hot and I cleaned quickly, dragging my fingers through my hair as well to wash it. I dimly heard the door open and the doctor place the clothes by the door while he tsk-ed at the bandages and the bloody clothes. When I was clean I dried off, wrapping the bandages around my chest as I shook out the clothes I had been lent. Not too bad, some jeans and a plain black t-shirt. I slipped them on and checked my appearance in the mirror.

_Ah well. It'll do._

I walked out, towel around my neck to hide the scar on my back. The doctor blinked at me as I picked up a roll of bandages and expertly bandaged my bleeding wrists.

"That was a fast shower." He commented and I shrugged.  
"I didn't want to waste water." I said easily as I shivered lightly.

"Jackets are by the door." The doctor said as he dabbed at Zoro's wound with a cotton swab. I nodded, slinging the towel from my neck and rubbed my hair some more as I walked over to the door.  
I pulled the towel from my head as I picked out a warm looking white jacket and slipped it on.

"That's some scar you've got on your back there, kid." The doctor said as I walked back over. I was unable to stop from flinching as I sat down and grabbed a cotton swab.  
"It's not a scar." I retorted as I started to help clean Zoro's cut.  
"Well if it's not a scar then what is it?" the doctor scoffed.

I didn't say anything in response, focusing instead on dabbing at the cut on Zoro's chest.

"I'm going to find out anyway when I examine you, and I'd rather not have any nasty surprises." He said and I sighed.  
"It's not something I like to talk about." I said, but as I went to stand up and walk around, the doctor made the first stitch.

Zoro grabbed my arm reflexively, and I transferred his hand from my arm to my hand.

"If you need to grab something that's fine, I'm probably the only person we have on board who can match your grip strength anyway.." I said brightly as the doctor began to sew up the wound. Zoro's head fell back on the pillow with a soft 'thump' as he threw his other arm over his eyes in an effort to not cry out. I gripped his hand tighter and made lazy circles on the back of his fist with my thumb.

I was loosing feeling in the hand not held by Zoro's warm one, and blew on my fist to warm it up. Failing that, I stuffed it in my pocket, but it was still freezing. I frowned, noticing that Zoro's face was flushed, and had a brilliant idea. The swordsman's eyes snapped to mine as I laid my knuckles on his forehead.

"Hey...Why're your hands so cold?" He asked slowly and I shrugged.  
"No idea, but you're burning up, so I guess this evens out." I said calmly as I dragged my icy fingers over his skull, and he closed his eyes, trying to relax.  
"Tch." was his only reply to that and I refrained from smirking, knowing that it probably felt good to the feverish man.

The doctor turned to me once he was done stitching Zoro up, and gave me a look.  
I grimaced.

"Now, are you going to let me examine you or do I have to do this the hard way?" He said sarcastically and I stiffened as Zoro's look grew dark. I stood quickly.  
"Fine. I have one condition though." I said snippishly as I tore off the jacket and moved to sit down on the bed next to Zoro's.  
"What NOW? Doc sighed, crossing his arms at my childishness.  
I turned instead to Zoro.

"Promise me that you won't look." I begged him.

_I __**never **__beg._

His gaze hardened as I bowed my head. He let out a sigh, and reached out to ruffle my hair.  
"I promise." He said firmly, and rolled over onto his side, away from me.

I took a deep breath as I turned away from the doctor and yanked the shirt off, feeling angry with the inanimate piece of cloth. I glanced over my shoulder at the older man as I silently lifted an arm to point at my back.

His face told all.

"You...I understand now." He said as I looked away.  
"Just get on with it already." I snapped angrily as his eyes roved over me.

_A slave's brand is the most shameful mark in the world._

"How long?" He asked as he began to clean my wounds.  
How long was I a slave?

_Only my entire life._

I shook my head, taking another deep breath as my voice caught in my throat. "Too long." was my only answer. He grunted, and his next words sounded so sad.  
"I'm so sorry." He said quietly. I clenched my fist as I fought back the rush of memories.

_Quit making me remember._

"It's none of your business." I said a bit too harshly as he finished bandaging my wounds. I slid the shirt back over my head and touched Zoro's shoulder, signaling he could turn over again.  
I blinked when the doctor lifted my hair from my forehead, revealing the nasty scar through my eyebrow.

"You've got a cut on your forehead too. Let me bandage that as well." He said, wrapping a large pad of gauze around my head where my headband had always sat. I stood and walked around to where I had dropped my coat and shrugged it on. "Kai." Zoro said calmly.  
I froze.

"When you want to talk, I'll listen without judging you." He said simply.

I almost caved in right then and there, almost spilled my guts to him about my past, about how worried I was about his safety and those of the crew. I almost did all this, but I pulled myself together just in time. One wrong word could mean the most gruesome of deaths for these people, and I had to make sure that they stayed safe, at least until I could be completely free.

"Thanks. I'll remember that." I said as I walked outside. I glanced around and saw Sanji and Usopp sitting down on the step.  
"Hey, you two!" I said as I jogged over, and they gave me a once-over.

"You look lively." Sanji said as I grinned at him.  
"All I had were some minor cuts and bruises." I said as I plopped down next to them. I held out my hand to him expectantly, pouting slightly.  
Sanji handed me a cigarette and his lighter with a small frown.

"Keep this up and I'm going to have you start paying for them." He said, only half joking. I grinned at him as I snuggled into the jacket I had borrowed and enjoyed the sunshine.  
"Today has been a stressful day. I haven't smoked in three years." I said with a light expression as I inhaled and closed my eyes, enjoying the low.

"So how are they?" Usopp asked, and I sighed.  
"Zoro was really bad off. That wound is going to take over 2 years to heal." I commented as I exhaled.  
"That's because he's crazy and moves around too much." Sanji joked, and I laughed.  
"Yea, I know." I said with a real laugh, and Usopp and Sanji both stared at me as I curled over myself with huge snorts of laughter.

Usopp began to chuckle and Sanji snorted, and eventually they both joined me in my mirth.

After several minutes I straightened up and wiped a tear from my eye as I sat back with a happy smile. "So how long have you known Zoro and Luffy for?" Sanji asked, still grinning like an idiot.  
"Well, I met Zoro when we were both in this dinky place called Shellfish Island..." I began to tell them the story as I took a drag of my cigarette.

_I haven't felt this happy in years._

* * *

These villagers know how to throw a party.

There had been a town-wide festival going on for a week now, and they were still going strong. I could understand that, I supposed, as I wandered through the streets, getting smiles and hugs from random people. They had been suppressed for so long, hiding their smiles, that when they were finally free to live their lives...They jumped at the opportunity.

I accepted a tankard of rum from a lady at a stand and sighed, fingering my headband. For the last week, we had been partying. For the last week, I had seen neither hide nor hair of Nami. Was she avoiding me? She certainly owed me a humongous apology. I bumped into a group of girls and made my excuses as I passed them by, moving silently, mind elsewhere.

I was caught off guard as someone leaped onto my back, and I almost stumbled.

"Kai! I was looking for you!" Luffy said excitedly as he clambered around, trying to find a good sitting position. I huffed and shook him off.  
"Hang on." I said, as I downed my rum. I then crouched low and patted my shoulders.

"Sit here." I said, and his eyes gleamed. He sat on my shoulders with all the ease of an over-happy kid and clutched at my hair.  
"So, where do you want to go?" I asked him as I started walking again, hands clamped firmly on his legs so he wouldn't fall off.  
"MEAT!" He shouted and I laughed.

He grabbed at my headband and I let him slide it off my head to play with it. "Don't loose that." I warned as I began walking through the crowd.  
"I won't! You're really strong." He said as I jogged past a group of girls who giggled at us.

"They're so cute! It's like they're brothers!" I heard some of them exclaim as I turned a corner into a food area. I slipped through the crowd as Luffy began to scramble around, smelling meat. I was laughing as I finally got to the stand.

"Can I have 10 of those skewers?" I asked, and she giggled at our appearance.  
"Of course!" She said, and Luffy nearly knocked me over in his scramble to get down and at the food.

"Oi! I didn't get all of that just for you!" I exclaimed as I snagged four of the kabobs. Luffy was off and running already as I stared after him, eye twitching. The lady laughed and handed me a large tankard of rum.  
I thanked her and began to look for Luffy again. I was met with Sanji running off into the distance, saying something about beautiful ladies.

"Kai."

The voice snapped my out of my reverie and I found myself face-to-face with Zoro.  
I grinned and sat down next to him.

"Just drinking tonight?" I asked as I took another drink. He smirked and leaned back.  
"Yea. And what about you? Not joining in the festivities tonight?" He shot back. I shrugged, turning the movement into a roll of the shoulders.

"Wanted to take it easy tonight. I've done so much partying, my head feels about three sizes too small." I said with a grin.

A tap on my shoulder caused me to turn around. Nami stood there, expectant and a bit worried looking.

"Kai, can I talk to you in private for a moment?" she asked. I exchanged glances with Zoro and stood, putting my drink down on the bench.  
"I'll be right back." I told him as I followed Nami over to a bonfire that had no revelers around it. She stopped in front of the fire and turned to me, looking downcast.

"Kai...I'm sorry for trying to turn you in for your bounty. Will you forgive me?" She asked hesitantly and I crossed my arms over my chest, pulling myself up to my full height and squaring my shoulders. I gauged her reactions carefully as she shrank in front of my slight anger. I huffed, unable to really be mad.

"Nami, you should have just told me what you were going through. Out of all the crew members, I can understand what you went through the best." I said, my eyes narrowing. Her head shot up, and she stared at me in surprise.

"You...what?" I shook my head as she opened her mouth, and her question died on her lips.  
"I refuse to say more than that, but I understand, and I forgive you." I said as I turned away from her, and her gaze landed on my back.

My jacket had gone missing the day prior, and all my searches had turned up useless.

"Doc asked me to give this to you." She said, and I glanced over my shoulder. In her hand was my beloved red jacket, but it had an addition.

Sewed onto the back of it was our Jolly Roger.

I turned and took it from her hands, examining the workmanship of the stitching.  
I grinned.

"Take a mark of shame and turn it into a symbol of victory." I murmured, a smile gracing my features as I slid it on, feeling comfortable with the weight and filled with pride in the symbol I now carried on my back.  
"Apology accepted, Nami." I said, pulling her into a hug. Her eyes widened and she relaxed as I pulled away to go finish my drink.

I was chuckling by the time I sat down again, leaning forward to put my arms on my crossed legs as I finished my drink. Zoro grinned at me.

"Apologized, did she?" He said as he stood.  
"Yea. Where ya goin?" I asked curiously.  
He smirked down at me.

"To get two more tankards of ale for us, idiot." He said and I gave him a huge smile as he walked off in search of drink.

* * *

"ZO-BRO! KAI-BRO!"

I winced as Johnny and Yosaku's voices made my head ring. We were leaving, and I had just crawled out of my hammock with a humongous headache.  
Damn Zoro and his bottomless tolerance for alcohol.

"We will continue our lives as pirate hunters here. Thank you for taking care of us."  
"We part ways here, but we hope to see you again someday."  
"Good luck to you." Said Zoro with a smirk on his face.  
"You too, Zo-bro."

"Nami isn't here yet." Usopp said, shading his eyes with his hand.  
"Maybe she's not coming with us." Zoro said carelessly.  
"NAMI ISN'T COMING?" Sanji snapped at Luffy, who only glared and pointed an accusatory finger at him.

"You. You lied to me about those Fresh Ham Melons, didn't you." He said, a hint of anger in his voice.

I leaned against the galley door, my head in my hands. "Would you all just shut up?" I hissed at no one in particular.

Zoro fixed me with a smug look.

"Hangover?" He asked simply and I glared at him through squinted eyes.  
"Don't you laugh at me, this is your fault!" I snapped as I stumbled over jab my finger at him.  
He only grinned and batted it away with ease.

"It's not your fault I'm stronger." He replied.  
"How does that have anything to do with this?" I groaned, feeling the urge to slam my head into the side of the galley.

"RAISE THE ANCHOR!" came a yell, and we looked up to see Nami running at the ship full speed.  
"Why is she running?" Usopp wondered.

"Who cares? She said to raise the anchor, so just do it." Luffy ordered, and Zoro hefted the anchor easily.

The villagers had shocked looks on their faces.  
"Is she going to leave without saying anything to us?"

"UNFOLD THE SAILS!" she yelled again, and we all raced to do so. The ship began to pull away from the dock as the villagers started to cluster in front of the boat.

"Nami, wait! Can't you at least say goodbye to us?"  
"The ship is leaving!"  
"Nami wait! You can't go like this!"

Sanji stood by the railing, watching her run through the crowd with an air of concern.

"Is it really ok to leave things like that?" He asked Luffy, taking a drag of his cig.  
"Just let her do it her own way."

_Luffy could be unexpectedly wise sometimes._

Nami launched herself into the air and landed solidly on the deck of the Going Merry as we pulled away. She lifted her shirt, letting wallets fall to the floor like rain. The villagers started checking their pockets as I chuckled.

"Wish ya luck!" Nami said to them, holding up a beli.  
"YOU THIEF!" They yelled at her, and I leaned against the wall with Zoro.

"She never changes..." Usopp said blankly. Zoro snorted.  
"Think she's going to betray us again?" He asked me, and I shrugged.  
"Probably not, now that she's free." I replied, and he gave me a funny look.  
"NAAAMI! That was so cool!" Sanji was saying, and I could practically see his heart beating in his chest.

Luffy was laughing his ass off as the villagers yelled and shouted at Nami to give them their wallets back, and we set sail for the next town.

* * *

The next few days were relatively quiet. I was down on the lower deck doing stretches, Usopp had disappeared into the galley for some reason, and Nami was relaxing on a chair on the upper deck. I looked up as a messenger bird flew over to drop Nami's newspaper off.

"You increased the price again!" I heard her exclaim, and decided to try to take a break from my training to go see if I could snag some of her paper. I almost ran into Usopp as he was exiting the galley balancing a load of things in his arms.

"Here, let me get some of that." I said, taking half of the supplies off of him.  
"Oh, thanks Kai!" He said as we walked to the upper deck.

"I think it's getting too expensive now. Next time, if the price is any higher, I'm not buying it." Nami was saying to the messenger bird as Usopp began to fiddle with his tools.  
"It's just a newspaper." He commented as I sat on the railing between the upper and lower decks.  
"I read it everyday, it's my habit." Nami said with a shrug.  
"So you don't collect money anymore?" Usopp shot back wittily.  
"Don't be stupid! From now on, I collect money for myself! That's why I'm with you stupid broke pirates." She snapped, pointing a finger at the sharpshooter.

He frowned at her and held his hand up to silence her.

"Be quiet! I'm in the process of developing a new chili pepper marble. If this oil gets into someone's eyes..."

"DON'T TOUCH THEM!" I didn't even blink as Luffy shot over the railing, missing me by a hair, and smacked into Usopp.

"...he will be in great pain!" Usopp finished saying as his body jerked forward and the oil got into his eyes.

"What? It's just one orange." Luffy retorted, not paying attention to the flames shooting from Usopp's skull.  
"I won't give you a single one!" Sanji said angrily as he stood watch over Nami's tangerine grove. "These are Nami's oranges! I will protect them with my life!" He said, adopting a gallant pose.  
Luffy just laughed.

"Well, that's alright. I'm in a good mood now." He said with a grin as he looked over the ocean. I noticed Zoro settling down on the other side of the boat for a nap and stood to go finish my exercises.

"Huh? Flyers?" Usopp asked, picking them up.  
"Wanted posters!" He exclaimed, pointing a finger at them in shock. I leaned over, surprised to see mine there.

"Huh. Upped my bounty by 5 million?" I said aloud while Luffy grabbed his with a grin.  
"Wow! 30 million beli and 15 million beli! We sure have become popular!" He exclaimed as I gave him a grin. Nami put her head in her hands.

"Don't you understand anything at all? Now people are going to come hunting for you. And with a price like that, the main base is going to do something about it, not to mention we're going to be attacked by pirate hunters." She groaned, and Usopp took a long look at Luffy's picture.

"See? My picture is on the wanted list too!" he exclaimed to Sanji, who looked totally unimpressed.  
"Just the picture of your back." He snorted while Usopp ignored him.

"This is so exciting! My picture is spreading around the world!" He said, and I frowned, dropping the flyer as I went to clean up my weights.  
"We can't waste our time in East Blue anymore." Nami said worriedly.  
"We're going to Grand Line!" Luffy yelled, and Zoro woke up from his nap.

"Hey, I see an island over there!" He called to Nami.  
"An island? This means we're really close to Grand Line now." she said as I walked up to stand next to Zoro.

"That's Loguetown." I ground, clenching my fist.  
"City of the beginning and the end. Where Gol D. Roger was born and executed." Nami extrapolated.

I stared at it for a few moments before beginning to pace.

"I'm going below." I announced as I walked over to the doors leading to the sleeping quarters.  
"Why? Don't you want to get off the boat?" Asked Luffy in confusion. I grinned at him.

"Nope. Not at this town, at least. It'd be safer if I stayed on the ship anyway, to keep an eye on it." I said as I let the doors swing shut behind me. I stalked down the hall to my cabin, feeling worried. What if I was caught again? No, that wouldn't happen if I stayed on the boat. I sighed, and contented myself with doing my exercises, beginning with finger strength training.

How could I leave the boat when I was wanted by the marines and the slave traders? As much as I hated being cooped up on the ship, this was safer than just wandering around. We only needed to be here long enough to gather supplies and then we would leave. I could handle that, right?

A breeze filled the room and I sighed, closing my eyes as I leaned into the touch of the wind. I would never be capable of taking it for granted, since I had been kept from it for so long.

* * *

"Ladies and Gentlemen! For your viewing entertainment, the first day of the Gladiator Games!"

The crowd went wild as I was shoved out the door into the airtight ring. "Our first gladiator of the day, and game favorite, Delanoi Kai!" The announcer blared, and I stood my ground.

Another day, another fight.  
Another fight won, another day I lived.  
And another day I lived, another day I dreamed to escape.

I gazed up at the ceiling of the skydome, seeing and sensing my primal element calling to me, but unable to reach out to it in such an enclosed space.

"Today she will be fighting against several of our wildest inmates! Will she win? Or will she loose?"

Four gates opened, and four huge men stepped out into the enclosure. "What, Delanoi is just a tiny girl?" One jeered, and the others laughed. I tore my gaze away from the sky to fix them with a glare. How dare they take me away from my beloved sky?

If I kill these men, I will eventually be allowed to breathe freely again.

I melted away, reappearing in front of the man who had taunted me in the same instant. His eyes widened as I placed my right hand on him.  
He screamed so loudly.

I removed all the air from his body, inducing instant asphyxiation. It was a relatively painless death, and the best I could offer someone who was going to be executed anyway. This was more humane.

The other three men charged, but it was too little too late. I had already begun to run at him, and he looked like a clumsy giant in comparison to my fluid movement. He dropped like a stone as I slid past him, his legs cut from under him. The remaining two lunged for me, intending to pin me to the ground. Unfortunately for them, I was much faster.

My katars flashed as I danced in the blood soaked sand, and the crowd cheered loudly as the last of the fighters fell, downed by a girl barely in her teens.

I felt blood on my face, dripping from my hands, everywhere, but remained expressionless. This was what the audience demanded to see, what they believed to be entertainment. To their eyes, we were less than human, just pieces of property. But I was a human, and I had killed other humans in the interests of keeping myself alive.

The thought sickened me, and I sat down amongst the blood, lifting my head to stare at the sky.

_I want to be free_.

"Delanoi Kai wins, Ladies and Gentlemen! Shall we move on to the next round?"

The crowd shrieked happily, crying for blood, and I could feel the helpless feeling welling up in me. I couldn't take this anymore.

I _screamed._

* * *

I awoke from my memories, firmly squelching the scream as it came ripping out of my mouth. I put a hand on my head and moved to the porthole, leaving my weights on the floor. I took a deep breath and let the fresh sea breeze ruffle my hair.

There were so many things that I had missed, and still did miss.

The thought made me chuckle as I gazed longingly up at the blue sky and felt the wind on my face. I was about to turn away from the porthole when the door slammed open behind me. I jumped, surprised to see Zoro standing there glowering at me.

"Kai, what the hell was that about?" He snapped, his eyes raking over the room for any possible threats.

_What?_

"What are you talking about?" I asked as I brushed past him to move to the upper deck. I blinked as his fist slammed into the wood of the door, his arm blocking my progress.  
"Don't dodge the question." He snapped and I glared at him.

"There are some things that we can't forget." I hissed as I ducked under his arm and out into the hall in one fluid movement, leaving him standing by the door of my cabin as I stalked up to the deck.

I leaned over the railing, taking a deep breath, when I saw him. I could hardly believe my eyes. It had been five years since that day, and here he was. But...why was he _here_? There was no reason for him to be this close to Marine HQ.

My eyes narrowed. I should find out where my benefactor was going.

"Hey! I'm going out." I called up to Nami. The navigator looked shocked as I launched myself up and over the railling.  
"Kai! Wait..." She called as I disappeared into the crowd.

I caught up with the cloaked figure eventually, and sprang in front of him in an alleyway.

"Hey. Been a long time, saviour." I said casually as I watched the man not even blink an eyelash at me.  
"Ah...so it's you." He said with the smallest of grins. I nodded and frowned at him.

"What are you doing here? This isn't the most hospitable of places for people like us." I said with a quick glance around. The man in front of me snorted, as if to say that he knew that already.  
"I had heard that my son was heading this way, and had hoped to see him off." He said and I turned a critical eye on him.  
"You're kidding, right? You have a son?"

He just laughed at me. "Is it that hard to imagine?" He chuckled slightly. "Yes. His name is Monkey D. Luffy." He said, and I stood, shellshocked.  
"You're kidding."  
"Why?"

"He's my captain." I said, and without preamble, showed the man the back of my jacket.  
This is our jolly roger." I said, and I felt his smirk on my back.

"I see you remembered my words then." He said and I smirked at him from over my shoulder.  
"Course I do." I said as I began to walk off.

"He'll probably want to visit the execution grounds." I called to Dragon as I slipped back among the crowd to the boat. I really needed a nap now.

That man takes all the energy out of a person.


	14. Chapter 14

A few hours later, I was awake again and feeling the drop in temperature very distinctly.

_Awesome._

I dropped to the deck and wandered downstairs, intending to pick up my gloves and last set of handcuffs from my bag.

_Apparently I forgot to put away my weights._

I picked myself up off the floor with a groan to stuff the stupid things in my bag before I could trip on them again. I located my final set of cuffs and slid them on over my gloves and bandages as I heard rain begin to fall.

"GRAB THE LINES!" I heard Nami shriek, and raced up to the deck as rain started to fall. Nami was putting her things away as Usopp grabbed at the lines connecting the ship to the dock. "  
What's going on?" I yelled over the storm as I ran to grab the rope Usopp was struggling to hold onto, taking it from his hands.  
"Luffy's in trouble!" He yelled at me as a large crack of lightning filled the sky. I gripped the rope tighter in desperation.

"Where's Sanji and Zoro?" I asked, shaking the rain off of my hair.  
"Helping him! Now hang onto that rope! We're heading for Grand Line as soon as they come back!" Nami shouted at me from the helm.

I peered into the gloom, watching for any sign of our crew members. Suddenly, three figures shot out from a side street, heading towards the ship in a dead run. I grinned.

"Get on board already!" I yelled at them as ran up.  
"HURRY UP!" Nami shrieked at them and Luffy smiled.  
"ALRIGHT!" He yelled as his arms stretched out, grabbing the railing.

"Wait, what.."  
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

Luffy launched them through the air into the sails, and they crumpled into a pile. I released the lines as we pulled away from the dock and helped the group to their feet.  
"You sure know how to make an entrance." I said with a smirk as I scrambled past to help Usopp with the sails.

"Are we going to sink?" He said tentatively, and I grinned, slapping him on the back.  
"Not likely! We'll make it through this if I have to pick this ship up and carry her!" I said with an experimental tug on the ropes as we gathered on the deck.

"Hey, look at that light!" Luffy exclaimed as he pointed into the gloom.  
"A lighthouse?" Sanji wondered aloud as he lit a cigarette.

Nami was the one to answer the question.  
"That's a guiding light. At the end of it is the entrance to Grand Line." She said with a sly grin.

Sanji disappeared into the galley and came back out with a large barrel of ale and a huge smile. "Well, shall we begin the ceremony for entering Grand Line then?" He asked.  
I tugged on my headband as Usopp glanced at us all and shivered.  
"Don't you feel anything in the middle of a storm?" He asked, noting the lack of jackets as we stood around the barrel.

Sanji placed his heel on the barrel. "I want to find all blue."  
"I want to be the greatest pirate."  
"I want to be an invincible swordsman."  
"I want to draw a world map."  
"I want to become a brave warrior of the sea!"  
"I want to become the strongest fighter." I said with a smile, and we all raised our legs.

"LETS GO TO GRAND LINE!" We all yelled as we brought our heels down, smashing the barrel and baptizing the deck with ale.

"We should get jackets." Nami said, and I grinned as the others disappeared down below. I leaned against the wind for a moment before walking into the galley.  
Sanji set a glass of water down in front of me without a word, and Zoro took a seat next to me.

"So, what exactly happened back there?" I asked them as I raised the glass to my lips.  
"Luffy almost got executed by Buggy." Zoro said blandly, and I had to fight to keep my mouthful of water in it's proper place...in my mouth.

"Say what?" I managed after I had swallowed it.

Sanji had a dark look on his face. "The execution stand got hit by a lightning strike. That's the only reason he's still alive." He said and I put my head on the table in annoyance.

Dragon, you show off too much.

The door slammed open after a few moments, and Nami bustled in, dragging the rest of the crew with her.  
"The entrance to Grand Line is a mountain." She said with an air of certainty.  
"A mountain?" Usopp exclaimed in shock, while Zoro put his head in his hands.

"Yes. At first I thought it was impossible, but look at this." She said, spreading out the map.  
"The place that light is pointing to is called Loose Mountain on Grand Line." She said, pointing at a particular spot..

"What, so you mean that we'll hit the mountain?" Sanji asked and I snorted while he glared at me.  
"No. See, there's a canal here that runs up the mountain." She said, and Usopp grunted.

"That's stupid! Even if there's a canal, there is no way that a ship can go up a mountain." He pointed out. Nami fixed him with a hopeless look.  
"But that's what the map says!" She protested as Sanji fixed Usopp with a black look.  
"Don't you trust Nami?" He said snappishly.

Zoro and I exchanged glances.  
"You got that map from Buggy, right? You sure it's accurate?" He asked the question we both were thinking.

Luffy was ecstatic however.  
"Using a ship to cross a mountain? AWESOME! It's a Magic Mountain!" Zoro shook his head at our captain's stupidity.

"What's the point of going to Grand Line by using the entrance? If you head straight south you can get there too, right?" He asked with a smug look. Luffy grew incensed.  
"THAT'S A BAD IDEA, ZORO!" He shouted, pointing a finger at the calm swordsman.  
"Luffy's right! There's a reason..." Our navigator began to say.

"WE'RE SUPPOSED TO USE THE ENTRANCE BECAUSE IT'S COOL!"

Nami punched him in the head.  
"That's not the reason." She countered swiftly while Usopp glanced out the porthole.

"Hey, the storm is gone!" He exclaimed while Sanji strode up behind him.  
"Yea, you're right. The weather is so calm..." He commented lightly. Nami looked confused as she regarded the map.  
"That's impossible...if we head towards the storm, we'll arrive at the entrance." She said as we all walked outside.

"Huuu, this is nice weather..." I commented as I stretched.  
"What happened here?" Nami wondered aloud, and Luffy laughed.

Nami's eyes widened in fear. "This is bad...We're in Calm Belt now!" She exclaimed.  
"Calm belt? What's that?" Luffy asked with a tilt of his head.

"Hey look! The storm is so heavy over there, but there's no wind on this side." Usopp said. I stood shellshocked.

Awesome. Just what I wanted...to get stuck on the Calm Belt.

"JUST SHUT UP AND ROW!" Nami screamed at the others. At least someone else understood the situation.  
"Why do we need to hurry? You told us to row this ship, but it isn't a rowboat." Luffy asked.  
"Why do we have to go back to the storm?" Usopp asked. I was racing for the oars in desperation.

"IDIOTS!" I screamed, and they turned to me.  
"You too, Kai?"

"It's so calm here, why do we need to go back?" Zoro asked with a cocked eyebrow. Nami put her head in her hands.  
"Fine! I'll explain it to you! We're going south like you wanted!" She exclaimed, and Zoro got a surprised expression on his face.

"Oh, so we're in Grand Line now?" He asked. I was desperately trying to row, but wasn't getting anywhere with it.  
"IF IT WAS THAT EASY, THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE!" I shrieked at him while Nami sighed.

"Grand Line is surrounded by two seas. One of those is Calm Belt, the sea without wind." She explained patiently. Zoro wandered down to the lower deck where I was trying to row.  
"You're right. There's no wind." He said calmly.

I groaned as the water and ship began to move.

"EARTHQUAKE!" Luffy yelled.  
"You idiot! We're on the ocean!" Sanji snapped.  
"Oceanquake?"

The guys suddenly realized we were very far up in the air. And that our ship was no longer in the water. Not to mention the fact that said ship was resting on top of a large sea creature's nose.

"This sea is the giant sea monsters nest..." Nami cried as she clung to the mast and the other crew member's mouths dropped open in shock and horror.  
"Now do you know why we were trying to get you to hurry?" I whined as I gripped the railing in defeat.

Zoro grabbed the oar from me as the others raced for the rest of them. "When this monster dives, we row like hell." He said what we were all thinking.

The monster reared back, and I grabbed the railing with both arms as we were sent flying. The next few minutes were pure chaos, and we hit the water hard, the motion of the boat sending me over the railing. I flipped, slinging the long chain on my cuffs through the rails and grabbed the end of it as the waves crashed into me. I pulled myself up with a gasp, feeling the drain of energy hit me like a freight train.

"Kai?" I heard Luffy ask, and I let out a frantic shout as another waved crashed over me, draining me further.  
"IDIOT!" Zoro yelled as he lunged. I coughed, trying to get purchase on the side of the boat with my boots as he grabbed the back of my jacket, hauling me onto the ship. I collapsed onto the deck with a cough and an uncomfortable lurch of my insides.

"Haa...thanks..." I managed as I stood wearily.  
"So...do you all get why we can't go straight south now?" Nami asked as Zoro pulled me away from the railing to sit next to him at the mast.  
"Yea. I get it now." He said in an annoyed tone as he curled up, arms on knees and head on arms.

Nami sat up suddenly.

"I get it!" She exclaimed.  
"What?" I coughed, as Zoro looked up just enough to glance at her.

"We have to go up the mountain." She said with certainty.  
"You still thinking about that?" Zoro asked.

She shook her head impatiently.

"It makes sense. If the waves from four oceans gather at that point, it will create a stream. That stream will push the water up the mountain, and when it hits the top, it will flow back into Grand Line." She extrapolated. I nodded and stood.

"So that just leaves the rudder then." I said as I leaned against the mast for support, my eyelids fluttering as I regained strength after my plunge.

Nami nodded. "Yea. Loose mountain is a huge iceberg...if we can't control the ship at the entrance, we will hit the mountain and sink. Do you understand?" She stressed. Luffy put a hand to his chin and grinned.  
"So it's a magic mountain!" He said firmly.

"I've never heard of a ship that can go up a mountain." Zoro said to me. I shrugged while Sanji cut into the conversation.  
"I've heard something about it." He replied.  
"What, the magic mountain?" I asked him with a raised brow.

"No. About Grand Line. They say it's really tough just to get in, so going there isn't an easy job. Even I understand that." He said, and a vein pulsed in my forehead.  
"What did you say?" I snapped, and we were at each others throats.

"I SEE THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN! IT'S HUGE!" Luffy yelled, breaking us out of our dogfight.  
"Wait...what is that shadow back there?" Usopp stammered as a mountain loomed up in front of us.  
"Red Line?" I mumbled.

"It's so foggy back there, we can't see anything." Zoro stated as we pulled through the mists.  
"TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND HOLD THE RUDDER TIGHT!" Luffy yelled, and Sanji and Usopp sprang to grab the helm.

"Leave that to us!" They both shouted.  
"This is impossible..." Nami said softly.

"Am I dreaming?" Zoro asked.

I grinned and pinched his arm.

"OW!" He snapped as he pulled the binoculars from his eyes to glare at me.

"You aren't dreaming." I deadpanned.

The stream of water ran straight up the huge iceberg. It was impressive really, except...  
"WE'RE OFF COURSE! TURN RIGHT! RIGHT!" Luffy yelled, and I drew in a breath, seeing that he was telling the truth. I heard a snap and glanced over my shoulder.  
The rudder had broken.

My eyes were the size of saucers as we careened for the gate covering the entrance. Before I could move, Luffy was jumping ahead of us and ballooned up while I caught his hat out of reflex. The ship bounced off of him as Zoro darted forward to the railing.

"WE'RE SAFE!" Nami yelled, and Zoro extended his arm.  
"TAKE MY HAND, LUFFY!" He shouted, and our captain stretched, grabbing Zoro's arm. The swordsman pulled Luffy aboard as we shot up the mountain.  
We all looked at each other with huge grins.

"WE MADE IT!"

* * *

"So...What do you think?" I asked Zoro. He stared at the sight in front of him incredulously.  
"What do I think..." He echoed as Sanji butted in.

"Nevermind what you think. Anyway..we were swallowed by a giant whale." He pointed out and I blinked.

_It was a gorgeous view._

Blue sky, dotted with small puffy white clouds and a few birds flying by. It was really a perfect vacation spot, someone had decided, and the island and house in the middle of this strange ocean was testament to that. In fact, it was so perfect that there was only one thing wrong with it.

We had been swallowed by a whale.

It was really all Luffy's fault, I mused. We had been coming down Loose Mountain when we had seen the gigantic whale blocking the way out. Zoro and I had tried to help steer the rudder to get to one side, but Luffy had fired a cannon at the whale. I guess it had worked...until the figurehead broke off. While the rest of us tried to row to safety, Luffy punched the whale in the fucking eye.

So here we are, swallowed by a whale, with Luffy on the outside somewhere. I glanced over at Zoro, who had his arms crossed and was wearing a perturbed look.

"So...this is a dream?" Usopp queried.  
"Yea...maybe it's a dream..." Zoro chimed in as I made a face.

"So...what about that island and the house?" I asked, and he shrugged.  
"An illusion, maybe?" He retorted sarcastically. I noticed a movement in the water and turned just as a giant squid shot to the surface.

"What about this?" I asked.  
"It's a giant squid." He replied as we got ready to fight it. The squid jerked forward as three harpoons shot through it, and we relaxed somewhat.

"Someone's here." Zoro said, and Sanji grinned.  
"Let's hope they're good people."

"Did the harpoon come from that island?" Usopp asked, and I snorted.  
"No, it came from somewhere else." I said dryly, and Sanji chuckled briefly.

"Hey, someone's coming out of that house." He said as a strange shape appeared.  
"A flower!" He exclaimed, and Zoro looked up in confusion.  
"A flower?" he snorted.

I rolled my eyes at them. It was just an elderly man with a strange halo of petals around his neck. "No, it's a human." I said.

"So...he's the one who shot the squid? We were saved by an ordinary fisherman?" Zoro said, and the old man locked eyes with us intently..then went to sit on a lawn chair.  
"CAN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING?" Sanji screeched angrily.  
"IF YOU WANT TO FIGHT US, WE AREN'T SCARED OF YOU! WE HAVE A CANNON!" Usopp yelled.

The old man looked up from his paper looking deadly serious.

"If you do that, someone will die." He said with a glare.  
"Who is going to die, old man..." Sanji growled.  
"Me."

I leaned over the railing, laughing so hard I was almost crying. Zoro snorted in amusement, and walked in front of Sanji, who looked ready to spit fire.

"Calm down! Who are you, and where are we? Can you tell us that much at least?" He said calmly, though a smirk still tugged on the corners of his mouth.  
The old man tore himself away from his paper again.

"Shouldn't you introduce yourself before you ask questions?" He chided. Zoro smirked a bit.  
"You're right. Sorry." He said.

"My name is Crocus. I am 71 years old, my star sign is pisces. My blood type is AB. I am the caretaker of the Futako Mizuki City's lighthouse." the man introduced himself, and Zoro lost his temper.

"CAN I KILL HIM NOW?" He shouted, half drawing his sword, and I pulled myself out of my laughter long enough to hold him back, though I started laughing again at his expression.  
"Calm down..." Nami exclaimed after having been silent the whole time.

"You asked me where you were? You were swallowed by a giant whale and brought to my one-man resort. What, did you think this was a rat's stomach?" He asked snidely, and I fell into another fit of laughter.

_This guy was hilarious!_

"So we really were eaten by a whale..." Usopp finalized.  
"What are we going to do? I don't want to be digested!" Nami exclaimed. The old man pointed at a door in the side of the stomach.

"Exit's over there." He said.

"You have an exit too? How can there be a door in a whale's stomach?" Sanji yelled.

Nami and Usopp were staring at the door in disbelief.

"There's sky over the door..." Nami breathed.  
"And there are clouds in the sky." Usopp finished.

"It's a picture." I said as I sat, leaning against the railing, having finally caught my breath. "A picture on the whale's stomach." I explained further.

"Well, this whale is really playful." The old man said.  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?" Usopp shrieked, finally realizing that there was a man living in a whale's stomach.  
"Nevermind that. Let's get out of here." Zoro said, and the water began to swell and fall.

"It begins." the old man said as he set his newspaper aside and stood.

"It's not an island, it's a ship made out of iron!" Nami exclaimed as she pointed at the old man's resort.  
"So if we stay here for too long, our ship can be destroyed?" Usopp said, sounding panicky.

"No, wait a minute, what's beginning?" I asked, focusing on something else entirely. Gastric juices in a beast this size would be very diluted, so I wasn't really worried about that. The old man looked at me seriously.  
"This whale is using it's head to ram against Red Line." He said, and we all gained matching looks of shock.  
"What?" Sanji and Zoro both said at the same time.

Nami looked thoughtful.

"That's right...he had a lot of scars on his head..and he was facing the mountain and crying. He must be sad about something!" She exclaimed.  
"So...what is that old man doing in here?" I queried. Usopp's expression was grim.  
"He's going to kill this whale from the inside! What a cruel person!" He exclaimed and I shook my head.

"That makes no sense. Why would he live in it's stomach if he wanted to kill it? And have a door in it?" I pointed out.  
"Nevermind about that, the main mystery is solved, so lets get out of here. If we don't hurry, we could be digested." Zoro said, and Sanji nodded.

"That's right. We aren't whale hunters, but we don't have any reason to save this whale. Let's go." He said.  
I frowned.

"How are we going to get to the exit?" I asked caustically.  
"We'll row." Sanji said, nonplussed.

"Just hurry up! Or else we and Luffy could be in trouble. He's gotta be outside because I saw him get out before the whale swallowed us." Zoro snapped as we started to row.  
"Hey, the old man jumped into the water." I heard Usopp say.

"What is he thinking? He could be digested!" Nami exclaimed and Usopp looked thoughtful.  
"Maybe he's heading for the exit." He said.

"Who cares, just shut up and help us row before the whale gets mad again!" I hissed as they grabbed an oar.

Three figures shot out from the wrought iron gate and flew towards us.  
"Luffy!" I yelled as I lunged at the railing and dug my fingers into it.

"Oh! Everyone's safe. Anyway. Save me first!" He exclaimed as he fell.

Zoro yanked off his shirt and haramaki and dropped them onto the deck, all the while shoving his swords at me.  
"Hang onto these and be gentle with them." He snapped as he dove in after Luffy.

Sanji grabbed a few ropes and had flung them into the water as Zoro and Luffy resurfaced, as did the other two people. We dragged them all aboard and I calmly handed Zoro his swords.  
"Thanks." He said as Nami handed him and Luffy towels.

I dragged my attention away from the shirtless swordsman to stare at the two others we had pulled aboard. One was a skinny young man with a crown perched atop his head, and the other...

_Dear god. She looked exactly like her. But that wasn't possible...was it?_

"So. Who are you?" I asked harshly as I stood in front of the two people.

"AS LONG AS I'M ALIVE, NO ONE WILL TOUCH THIS WHALE!" the old man shouted, and I looked up to see him standing next to the gate.  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Luffy asked curiously.

"HAHA! We are inside the whale now!" yelled the woman with blue hair as she and her companion both pulled large bazookas out.  
"That means we can destroy the whale from the inside!" They said as they lifted their weapons and fired.

I spun to see the old man race over and block both explosives with his own body.  
"That old man protected the whale?" Usopp stammered, and Nami's eyes grew wide.

"IT'S WORTHLESS! NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, THIS WHALE MUST BE FOOD FOR OUR TOWN!" they cried out, and lifted their weapons again.

Luffy punched them both in the head.  
"Let's worry about them first." he said with a slight scowl, and I nodded.

* * *

Several minutes later, we were standing on the old man's island, having tied the two idiots up. I was standing with my arms crossed, glaring down at them. The old man was telling us about the whale, and I was only half listening.

_How can this be possible? It's impossible to look this similar._

"This is an irish whale from West Blue, the largest species of whale in the world. His name is Laboon." He said as he sat down and opened his newspaper.  
"These people are ruffians. They're from the town close to here...They want to kill Laboon because his meat can keep them fed for 2-3 years." He continued.|  
"But you won't let them do that." I stated lazily, not paying attention really, and he nodded.

"There is a reason why he uses his head to hit Red Line and cry."

I crouched by the lady with blue hair and reached out to grab her chin, studying her face dispassionately.

_No fucking way... Why the hell is she here?_

"One day, I was taking care of the lighthouse, and a group of pirates sailed in with a little whale. It would seem that they had played with Laboon while in West Blue, but they realized that Grand Line was too dangerous, and left him here." I was hardly paying attention to the old man, instead rocking back on my heels as I stood in shock.

"Irish whales usually live without a pod or friends of any kind, but to Laboon, those pirates were his friends. Because I was close with them, they asked me to stay with him for 2 or 3 years, saying that they would travel around Grand Line and come back for Laboon. He understood this and has waited for them ever since...but it's been 50 years now." He finished, and Nami sighed.

"So that's why he hits his head against Loose Mountain and cries, so he can get to the other side." She said softly. The old man nodded.  
"He believes his friends are still alive."

I walked away and got onto the Merry, unable to keep the look of confusion from my face as we moved to leave the whale's stomach. I frowned as I settled against the upper deck, brow furrowed in thought.

"HA! I SEE THE REAL SKY!" Luffy shouted.|  
"What are we gonna do with them?" Usopp asked, jerking his thumb at the strange pair.  
"Eh, just throw them somewhere." I said as Zoro moved to do just that.

The two began to flail around once they hit the water.

"Is this gastric juice?" the woman cried out.  
"No. It's sea water, Miss Wednesday." Said the man next to her.

She frowned. "It seems those pirates are letting us go, Mr. Nine." She replied.

I froze, shocked.

_This had to be a joke._

"So, who are you?" Luffy asked.  
"IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" They both shouted at him.

"Wait, Miss Wednesday. Even though it's none of their business, they still interfered in our business with the whale." The man with the crown said.  
"That's right, Mr. Nine! This really involves our company." The blue haired woman said, pointing at us.  
"You had better be prepared!"  
"We'll see you again, you countryside pirates!"  
"Crocus! We'll get that whale someday!"

I hissed, clenching my fist tightly enough to draw blood and felt my face pale.

"Hey, you don't look so good." Zoro commented and I looked over at him, evaluating his expression.  
I pointedly glanced between the two people swimming away and him, and his eyes hardened.

"Your hand is bleeding!" Nami exclaimed, and I opened my fist dispassionately.

"Don't worry about it." I said calmly as I went below to bandage my hand. I had a feeling that this would end badly for all of us. I closed my eyes, hoping that maybe luck would be with us and I wouldn't be recognized. Because if I was, it would put our group in even more danger.

_And her. How could she be doing something this stupid? Alone, even?_

Suddenly, the boat shook and rolled and I had to fight to keep my balance. I raced up to the deck, smacking against the walls on the way, in time to see Luffy charge the whale holding our mast.

"What is that idiot doing now?" I sighed.

"Maybe he wants to take a hike on the whale?" Zoro suggested.  
"Geez. Can't let him out of our sight for a minute." Sanji complained.

I watched Luffy slam our mast into the whale's head.  
"Hey, isn't that our mast?" I asked calmly.  
"Yep." Usopp said as the whale began shaking it's head, causing huge waves to crash against the rocks.

Wait a minute, hold the fucking den-den. Let's think about this for a minute.

1. My captain had just attacked a **whale.**  
2. My captain had just attacked a **whale with a _mast._**  
3. My captain had just attacked a **whale with the _mast of our ship._**

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT MORON DOING!" I shrieked with the crew.  
"HE BROKE OUR MAST!" Usopp cried.

I hit the deck as the two fought, not wanting to be knocked overboard.

Eventually though, Luffy put a stop to it.

"WE'RE EVEN NOW!" He yelled, and the whale calmed for a second.  
"I'm a good fighter, right?" He challenged Laboon. "But because this was a draw, we have to fight again in the future. Your friends have died, but I'm still alive. We will travel around Grand Line, then come back here to see you again." He said, and the whale stared at him.

"LET'S FIGHT AGAIN NEXT TIME!" He shouted, and the whale cried with him.

I groaned, and walked onto the deck to take a nap. I couldn't sort my thoughts out with these idiots around, so I'd try again in a few hours. I was almost asleep when I felt someone sit next to me silently, and I leaned toward the warmth.

"Oi, what are you doing?" the person said, not quite as rough as I would have imagined them to sound.  
"Warm.." I mumbled as I drifted off.  
"Tch."

* * *

I awoke some time later as my makeshift pillow moved, and I fell towards the deck.

"That was a good nap." I heard Zoro say as I caught myself from hitting the wood with one hand. I looked around to see our crew members all lying on the deck...and two that didn't belong.

_The hell are they doing here?_

"Hey, even though the weather is nice, it's not good to be sleeping." He pointed out. I smirked.  
"Yea. You sure we aren't lost?" I asked smugly as Zoro moved over to to stand against the railing, and caught the direction my look was taken in.

"Hey, why are you two here." I bit out as I leaned over them menacingly. Luffy laughed.  
"We're heading to their town." He replied.  
Zoro glanced up at him.

"Don't tell me we're taking them there. We don't have any reason to do that." He pointed out.  
"Yep. No reason." Luffy responded, and Zoro sighed.

I was glaring down at the two agents when Zoro leaned down next to me.

"Ho...you two must be thinking bad things about now, huh?" He asked as they stared at me and him respectively. "What are your names?" He asked them.

I glanced at him swiftly. _He had been paying less attention than me?_ That made me feel a little better.

"Mr. Nine."  
"Miss Wednesday."

Zoro and I glanced at each other.

"Seems like your names remind me of something..." He said with an evil look that I mimicked.  
"Yea, we've definitely heard them somewhere, haven't we?" I chimed in.  
"But nevermind about that..." Zoro was saying as we fell over suddenly, pain blossoming in our heads.

I looked over my shoulder to see Nami glaring down at us.

"You two. You were having too deep of a sleep. We've been trying to wake you both up for a long time now!" She was furious.

**BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM**

We squatted on the deck, clutching our skulls in pain as she walked away saying something about being on being on our guards.

"I learned something very scary. My navigation technique can't be used here!" She exclaimed.  
"Can we even survive?" Usopp said, shaking.  
Nami smirked.

"Of course we can. The proof is over there." She said with a pointed look.  
"We have completed the first leg of our journey." She said as the island loomed into view.

"A GIANT CACTUS!" Luffy exclaimed, and Zoro and I took a deep breath.

_This is going to be bad._


	15. Chapter 15

"So this is Whiskey Peak." Sanji said as he chewed on his cigarette.

We were relatively close to the town, and that meant trouble. I frowned as my hands fell to my sides, only to grasp air.

"Awesome! We've safely arrived!" Luffy said as he sat on the fixed figurehead, clutching his hat to keep it from blowing away.

Miss Wednesday and Mr. Nine jumped onto the railing with ease.

"Thank you for taking us here, but we must say our goodbyes now." Mr. Nine said.  
"We shall meet again if we are destined too." Chimed in Miss Wednesday.

I glanced over at Zoro, who shrugged, as if to say, _eh, what the hell._

"Bye bye Baby!" They called as they flipped into the ocean and swam off.

"They're gone." Usopp said and I walked down to the lower deck, meaning to go to my cabin.  
"Don't worry about that." I heard Zoro say as I let the door swing shut.

"LET'S GO TO PORT!" Luffy yelled, and the sound chased me down to my room, where I grabbed my bag and slid my best - and most hated - weapons out as I dropped my handcuffs from my wrists.  
I had hoped to never need these again.

I picked up the twin katars, glaring at them as if they had done me a grave disservice. And in a sense, they had, but it wasn't their fault. I sat down on the bed began to clean them slowly, being careful to not cut myself on the sharp edges. I polished the armguards carefully, and made sure the springs to hidden blades in each were in working order. When everything was done, I let out a sigh and strapped them onto my belt, slung low over my hips. I brushed my fingers over them, checking the distance, and decided to quit putting off seeing the town and went back upstairs.

"You mean that even if there was a monster here, or that we wanted to leave as soon as we could, we wouldn't be able to?" Usopp was asking Nami as I returned to the upper deck.  
"That's right!" She replied testily.

"Let's not worry about that. Let's go!" Luffy said with a grin, and I couldn't help but smile along with him, even though I knew what this island was. "We'd be crazy not to!" He said and I laughed.  
"That's true, captain." I said as I leaned against the railing.  
"Maybe only for you two." Nami snorted.

"Hey, like he said, let's just go and not worry about that." Zoro agreed, while Sanji swooned over Nami.  
"I'll protect you, my beautiful flower!" He exclaimed.

"Hey, listen to me! I don't want to go!" Usopp insisted as I looked over at Luffy and Zoro.  
"Well, lets go then!"  
"Are you sure?"|  
"Be ready to run and fight!"

* * *

Even though I knew what to expect, it was still astounding, the amount of people that came to cheer for us.

"Hm? I thought there would be monsters, but it's a warm welcome?" Usopp said, confused.  
"What's going on here?" Sanji asked, and my look grew dark as my hands dropped to my katars.

A town full of bounty hunters was_ just _what I needed right now.

I glanced over at Zoro, who simply fixed me with a serious look. Sighing, I lifted an eyebrow and tilted my head at the others who were accepting the praise of the townspeople with joy.

_We gonna tell them anything?_

He shook his head imperceptibly, and laid a hand on his swords.

_We'll handle it ourselves._

"WELCOM- MA-MA-MA-MA!" I turned my head to stare at the man who had greeted us. He was large, with a strange white wig full of curls.

"My name is Iggarapoi. This is Whiskey Peak, the town of music and liquor!" He said, and I tsked in my throat.

_Egraham was here too?_

"It is our honor to welcome you. We have a lot of liquor here, so please enjoy yourselves and tell us about your journey! If you don't mind, I would like to invite you to a party." He said as we got off the ship.

Sanji, Luffy, and Usopp were ecstatic. "YEA! LET'S PARTY!" they exclaimed as they ran off. Zoro and I followed at a more sedate pace, while Nami stayed behind to inquire about the log post.

_This was going to be a long day._

* * *

Later that night, after we had all taken our respective showers and gotten clean, we were at the bar partying it up.

Well, the others were.

I was standing in one corner of the room watching everyone like a hawk. I wasn't planning to do any drinking tonight, and I knew that my on-guard attitude had tipped Nami off, at least. She and Zoro seemed to be concentrating on getting as many people drunk as possible. Sanji was flirting with all the women, Usopp was regaling the fools with his stories, and Luffy was...well..

Luffy was eating the cooks out of house and home. Which was fine by me.

"Hey! You don't look like you're having much fun!" someone said from next to me, and I looked over boredly at the huge man standing there.  
"Ah. I'm a rather boring person." I said noncommittally, and he laughed, throwing an arm over my shoulders.  
"Want to arm wrestle then? It'll build character!" He said, I frowned.

"You saying you're stronger than me?" I challenged, and his eyes lit up.  
"Ah...there we go! Let's do this properly, lad." He said as we took a seat. I grinned, and placed my elbow on the table.  
"ARM WRESTLING!" some people in the crowd yelled, and we were instantly surrounded by supporters.

"On the count of three!" A friendly man said as we clasped hands, testing each other's grip strength.  
I smirked dangerously, this man had no idea what he was getting himself into.

"One!"

"Two!"

"THREE!"

We strained against each other for a brief moment before I slammed his hand down into the table with practiced ease.  
The crowd went crazy.

"You're so strong!" A few people yelled, while the man I had challenged gave me a friendly grin.  
"You are a worthy opponent!" He exclaimed and I laughed as the next person sat down, who just smiled. I beat them easily too, and every single person that came around after that.

_One drink won't kill me, right?_

I made my way over to Zoro's table where he was drinking out some opponents, and sat down next to him. He lifted an eyebrow at me as I snuck a small mug of ale from the table and rested my forearms on my legs as I observed his drink battle.

"Enjoying yourself?" He asked, and I shot him a grin.  
"Just a bit." I responded snarkily and he looked decidedly amused.

"You gonna challenge me?" He asked with a smug grin. I frowned and punched him in the arm.  
"Not after last time, you bastard." I insulted playfully, and he laughed.

I simultaneously spilled and choked on my beer when he threw an arm around my shoulders and pulled me over next to him. I spent the next few minutes alternating between wiping the ale off my pants and glaring at him while he laughed his ass off.

"You gotta loosen up some!" He said, and I noticed he was swaying a bit.

_Was he..._

"Are you drunk?" I asked, trying not to grin at him, and he smiled at me over the rim of his glass.  
"Nope!" He said as he leaned back into the bench, his arm still over my shoulder.  
I let loose with my grin.

"You totally are. I can't believe it. I never thought that you, of all people, could get drunk." I teased, and he frowned.

After a few more rounds of ale, he slammed his tankard down on the table, along with his head.

"I can't go on..." He mumbled and I laughed.  
"What? You serious? I thought you'd have more fight in you than that." I said teasingly as I began to get up.  
"Is that a challenge?" He asked, a devious smirk playing across his lips.

He sat up straight, and I blinked as his arms snaked around my waist, pulling me off balance and across his lap. Somehow, he managed to direct the fall so that I was tucked into the corner of the bench with his weight across me, facing away from the crowd. He snuggled into me and I flushed bright red. I shoved at his shoulders a little frown, and he only held on tighter as he burrowed his face into my neck.

"Shut up and pretend to go to sleep." He whispered in my ear and I froze.

_It's an act. He's pretending to be drunk to put these bounty hunters off guard. _

"You sly bastard." I complimented with a light breath, and he smirked as he closed his eyes.

I huffed, embarrassed, and placed my hand on his head, trying not to notice just how _soft his hair was dammnit!_ and I just shrugged to the crowd, who were laughing at me.

"He's pretty drunk, huh kid." One said and I just furrowed my brow in mock irritation while I settled in to get comfortable.  
"He sleeps like a rock too. I'm not going to be going anywhere the rest of the night." I said snidely, and Zoro snorted lightly at that. I curled my free arm around his shoulders loosely as the crowd dispersed, and set my chin on his head.

_Huuuu...he's so warm._

"You saying I'm heavy?" Zoro breathed into my neck and I chuckled somewhat.  
"You're nowhere near as large as your ego." I teased, and he smirked.  
I shivered as I felt his lips ghost across my skin.

_Calm down. It's just an act._

"Why drag me down with you?" I murmured, and the muscles in his arm flexed slightly before he replied.  
"You're asking me that? You're the one who used my shoulder as a pillow on the way here. I'm just returning the favor." He mocked, and his breath tickled.  
"Shut up, that tickles." I complained, and he just grinned...and blew on my neck again.

I fisted my hand in his hair and tugged lightly.  
"Don't, I'm supposed to be pretending to sleep, remember?" I scolded and he grunted as I released his hair with a frown.

I was uncomfortable. Not with the position, that was fine, but more with the fact that Zoro making me twitch.

"Would you cut that out?" I hissed at him as I shook my head a bit, his breath on my neck threatening to make me bust out laughing. He chuckled for no apparent reason and I frowned.  
"Are you sure you aren't drunk?" I mumbled as I tried (_and failed_) to squirm away.  
"Positive." He murmured as he held on tighter, and I glared at him.

"Then you're having way too much fun with this." I sighed in defeat.  
"I didn't expect you to be so ticklish. And you're so scrawny..." He said offhandedly.

I wasn't expecting that. I shrugged minutely as I closed my eyes and decided to just let him win the battle of 'let me up'.

"It's not really my fault." I said softly as I leaned my head on his, trying to get comfortable while the party went strong around us.  
Zoro made a curious noise in his throat that reverberated in his chest.  
I huffed lightly, and said nothing else on the matter.

I had almost fallen asleep by the time everyone left. Once all the revelers were out the door, Zoro pushed himself off of me, looking at me for a second longer than usual as he retrieved his swords. I yawned and glared at him as we stood and moved to the stairs.

"Sleepy?" He asked with a light grin. I glared at him.  
"It's your fault I was lying down for so long." I pointed out caustically.

He just grinned as we reached the roof and walked over to the edge of the building.

"Hurry up and get their treasure out of their ship. Then go tie them all up. If we kill them, we get 30% less money because the government wants to execute them publicly." Egraham was saying to a large group of bounty hunters. I did a quick headcount.

"More than a hundred." I reported to the swordsman as we gazed down at the gathering.  
Zoro smirked.

"Mr. 8! Miss Monday! Two of them are missing!"  
"They aren't sleeping?"

"Sorry! But I don't think we'll let you do that, even though we are tired from our journey." He called, raising one of his swords as I stood menacingly.  
"A real swordsman and fighter wouldn't fall for a trick like that." I said with an evil look on my face as Zoro grinned madly.

"So...this is the truth. This town is a place for pirate hunters to gather to wait for pirates to come from Grand Line." He said as he stood. I smirked at him.  
"100 enemies? That's 50 apiece." I said with a dangerous tone, crossing my arms over my chest.  
He just grinned.

"Well, tonight, we'll be your challengers, Baroque Works." He said, and the agents below us stared in shock.  
"How did you know our company's name?" They shouted, stunned.

"When I was a hunter, your company sent an invitation for me to join. I rejected it. Every employee's past is a secret, and everyone will call each other by codename. No one will know who the boss is or where he lives." He said, and he really did radiate an impressive intimidation aura.

"You're a bunch of mercenaries that follow any order without question. And you call yourselves 'Baroque Works'. Not so big a secret, is it?" I snorted.

_I can't tell them the real reason why I know of Baroque Works, now can I?_

"Now that you know our secret we can't let you live. We will add two more gravestones to Cactus Mountain." Egraham said, and the threat in his voice was evident. We took advantage of the fact that all eyes turned to the cacti mountains at that moment, and leaped down from the building. We moved to stand in the middle of the crowd, who turned it's attention back to where we had been seconds earlier.

"KILL THEM...Where are they?"  
"THEY AREN'T THERE!"  
"WHERE DID THEY GO?"

I grinned as I glanced around.

"So...shall we begin?" Zoro asked jauntily as I pulled back into my stance.

We smiled at the shocked hunters, and I shot into the crowd as Zoro dodged the bullets that crisscrossed where we had just been. I grinned madly as I landed a heavy punch on one person and lashed backwards to kick another. I used my flexibility to my advantage, and hooked my leg over one hunters neck as he rushed up next to me, and twisted, feeling a bone crack as I did so. He hit the ground hard and I darted forward.

A wicked smirk played at my lips, and I leaped, grabbing a man by the shoulders. The look of shock on his face as I propelled myself over him was hilarious. Even more hilarious were the shocked sounds from the other hunters as I used him as a springboard, lunging into another group.

I haven't done this in...how long **has** it been since I've just _let go?_

I had to dodge unexpectedly though, as Egraham fired a short gun hidden in a saxophone.

_That was new._

I did a forward flip as I got out of the way of the bullets, and was yanked around the corner of a building. I started pushing at the person pressing me against the wall before I noticed the haramaki.

"A short gun, huh? That's really dangerous." Zoro commented as he glanced around the corner, still covering me. "This is a good chance to test out my new swords. I just might get to have some fun after all." He said with a grin, and I heard the slightest of sounds from above us.

"Ha...gotcha..." A voice floated down from above. I curled my fists into Zoro's shirt and shoved the swordsman through the door behind us as bounty hunters filled the alley.  
"Shit!" He exclaimed as we dodged for cover, flipping a table for some extra protection.

We sat behind the table for a second before he pulled his one of his swords out.  
"Let's start with Yubashiri.." He said with a grin.  
I smirked.

"Just leave some for me." I said as he cut the table in half with one slash. We raced past the group of hunters and he looked at his sword appreciatively.  
"That's really light!" He exclaimed, examining it as the hunters fell over behind us from different wounds.

"THEY'RE OVER HERE!"  
"Ah, they found us." I said with a grin as we made tracks.

Zoro sprinted up a set of stairs as I followed close behind. When we got to the top however, he suddenly tipped backwards, his hands holding onto the railing to keep himself up and his legs hooked over the edge of the roof. His head hit my chest and I grunted, falling back a bit as a rocket flew over our heads.

"That was close." He muttered as he dangled.

"YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY ANYMORE!" I heard people yell, and decided to take matters into my own hands.

I clenched my fist as I jumped over the swordsman, and grinned at the four men in front of us. "Don't need to." I said with a smirk as I lashed out. To add insult to injury, four pieces of ale barrel flew past, hitting each man in the face.

"That was a waste. Do you know how long it takes to make good liquor?" Zoro sounded annoyed as I turned to see a behemoth of a woman on another roof. In that same instant, I felt wind behind me and ducked under and away. Zoro spun to meet the person who was attacking from behind and lunged, his second blade slicing through the stone hammer as if it were butter. I blinked, impressed.

"This one cuts through stone! A sword that cuts whatever its owner wishes to cut...man what a problem child." He complained lightly as he stared at the second blade.

I chuckled and turned away, then noticed a kid sneaking up on him with a knife. Zoro turned to look at the kid while I rolled my eyes and started scaling a ladder. A nun appeared from nowhere and hugged the kid to her.

"God! Save us!" She exclaimed, and I snorted. She pulled a chain on the crucifix, releasing some gas of some kind. Zoro just groaned, knocking them both out.

"If you want to trick me, use a more innocent looking kid next time." He stated as he climbed up to join me. "I just put them to sleep. I hope that's not a sin." He snarked to me, and I laughed.

_That was unexpectedly witty._

We got to the top, and the agents were still climbing after us.

"YOU HAVE NOWHERE TO RUN NOW!" They yelled, and Zoro grinned as he knelt down in front of the ladder, and started pushing and pulling it away from the building. The men on it went pale as they realized what he was going to do. I started laughing as he threw the ladder off the building and leaped into the air, using it to bridge the gap between the other side.

I smirked and decided to show off. "You're not the only one who can do that!" I called as I pulled back a few steps, then launched myself off the building. I performed a flip in midair, and grinned evilly as I scraped the edges of my katars together.

"Guillotine."

I flung my arms out at the enemies below as I finished my flip, landing solidly on the roof and taking off after Zoro. The ground in the alleyway split open as I landed mere seconds after Zoro. I glanced at the bodies lying around the rooftop, while he cut a hole in the roof and walked away. I followed him nonchalantly as several people leaped to ambush him.

"Be careful, I just put a hole there." He said as they crashed through the roof.

The muscle bound woman from earlier swung the ladder harder than I expected, and I staggered as she clocked me in the head. It was the only opening she needed, however, and she grabbed my neck roughly, shoving me down on the ground. My head hit the ground, stunning me for a few seconds, and I grabbed at her arm while my vision cleared. Her fist raised above her head to deliver a killing blow, but before she could deliver the punch, Zoro was there.

He grabbed her face in his palm and brought her to her knees. She grabbed at his arm, then removed her hand from my neck to grab his, but it was all in vain.

"What's wrong...where'd all your strength go? I thought you wanted to challenge us." He said evilly as I got up, rubbing my throat.

"You alright?" He asked while she struggled, and I nodded, not trusting my voice just yet.

"Miss Monday!" The crowd yelled in shock as she passed out.  
"MISS MONDAY!"  
"IS THIS SOME KIND OF SICK JOKE?"

Zoro turned to the agents. "Well, shall we continue, Baroque Works? Let me inform you that fighting is not the same as playing." He said and I hissed deep in my throat.

"I get it. The Marines must have botched up their info." Egraham exclaimed.  
"I agree. This man deserves 30 million belis. So he is the real captain?" Mr. Nine said furiously.  
"And that person is the first mate. That's why it was so weird. How can that stupid looking kid be worth 30 million?" Miss Wednesday asked caustically.  
"I don't think it's possible." Mr. Nine was saying. I grinned at Zoro.

"Hey, they think you're the captain." I said with a smirk.  
He rolled his eyes.

"What a shame. Boss asked us to take care of this town, but we were defeated by two people." Egraham said rather angrily. "This will create a problem with our responsibility." He said to the other two. Egraham put his saxophone to his mouth and I stepped forward.

"KILLING SOUND!" He yelled as he shot at us.  
"Let's go, Miss Wednesday!"  
"Yes, Mr. Nine!"

I glared down at them and stepped off the building, launching myself at them. Egraham's eyes widened in shock as I flew towards him, and he brought his saxophone up just as I plowed my fist into it.

"What the hell are you doing here." I snapped harshly as we stared each other down before he started attacking me.  
'Do I know you?" He asked as he lashed out at me.

"Oi, you don't want to do this, geezer." I said snidely as I leaned backwards under one of his punches, and planted my hands firmly. My leg came around to kick him in the face, and he narrowly avoided it as I changed positions and spun, lashing out crazily. I changed rotation halfway through, and twisted myself into a standing position just as a few lengths of steel rope twisted around my arms and waist.

"What the fuck?" I snarled angrily as I tried to twist my arms around to be in front of me.

"HAHA! I GOT YOU! GET HIM, MR. 8!" The crown man shouted nastily.  
"That's right! If you move, you'll lose your important friends!" She said to Zoro haughtily. I glanced over my shoulder to see Miss Wednesday holding Luffy at sword point.

"That's good, miss Wednesday! With both of his crew members captured, he can't fight back!" The one with the chain said.  
Zoro was nonplussed.

"If Luffy was awake, that would be fine, but how is he still sleeping?" He groaned.

Egraham pulled on his bowtie, and rocket launchers popped out of his curls. No time to think. Just do.

I leaned into the chain and yanked hard, sending Mr. Nine flying through the air, right into the path of the rockets. I began to untwist the chain from myself as he slammed into Miss Wednesday, sending her flying from Luffy. Zoro used Luffy's huge stomach as a springboard to get up to the roof, and defeated Egraham. I climbed up moments later to join him with a grin.

"This should be the end of it, right?" I asked, and he nodded.

"Well, lets clean up, then have some drinks." He said, and I stared at him, then burst out laughing.  
"Alright." I said, chuckling as we moved bodies off the roof.

Zoro grinned as we grabbed a whole bottle of ale each and clinked them together.  
"The peaceful night has finally returned, then." He said with a grin and a laugh as he set his swords down next to him. He stopped drinking for a second though, and turned to glance around.  
I raised an eyebrow.

"What's up?" I asked. He paused for a moment.  
"Is it just me..or does it feel like someone else is coming?" He asked me, and I frowned.

I didn't feel anything different on the wind, but maybe his sense were a little different?

"You lost to only one swordsman and a fist fighter? How shameful." a voice drifted up from below. I cocked an eyebrow and stood silently, ghosting over to watch the proceedings. Mr. Five, a man in a long black coat, and Miss Valentine, a lady in a sundress carrying a parasol, both appeared in front of Egraham, Miss Wednesday, and Mr. Nine.

"Don't you feel ashamed of yourself at all?" Mr. Five said bluntly, while Miss Valentine laughed.  
"That's the difference between weaklings like you and us." She boasted, and Egraham looked mad.  
"You came here just to laugh at us?" He said as he got up shakily.

"That's only part of it." Mr. Five said smoothly.  
"We are here on duty. You shouldn't ask stupid questions." Miss Valentine snipped.

Mr. Nine looked infinitely happy.

"Thank you! With your abilities, those two will be defeated!" He said, and Miss Wednesday lowered her head as well.  
"Yes! Please take care of those two!" She exclaimed. Mr. Five looked serious.

"What the hell are you talking about? You saying that we came here to help you? You think that we came to Grand Line to do that?" He snapped, and I motioned Zoro over.  
"This could get bad." I breathed, so focused on the proceedings that I didn't notice how close he was. I heard him snort lightly, and he leaned over my shoulder to watch.

I tried not to blush at his close proximity.

"So, why are you here then?" Mr. Nine asked. Mr. Five snorted through his nose.

"Don't you have any brains? Boss sent us to deliver the worst punishment. He said, 'Someone knows my secret, and I don't know how much that person knows.' But our company's policy is that everything must be a secret. No one should know about each others pasts or even identity. Someone knows Boss's identity, which isn't allowed." He continued.

"After some careful investigating, we discovered that a royal from a certain country is sneaking around in Baroque Works." Miss Valentine chirped, and Mr. Nine held up his hands hastily.

"Wait a minute! Even though I wear a crown, I have nothing to do with this!" He exclaimed.  
"We aren't talking about you." The agents snapped.

"Damn. If we let Luffy stay over there..." Zoro said while wiping his mouth off.  
"Yea. We need to get him out of here." I agreed.

"The traitors are people who secretly disappeared from Alabasta." Mr. Five said, and Egraham shot his remaining cannons at him.  
"DIE!" He shouted.

"EGRAHAM!" Miss Wednesday, (_aka Princess Vivi_) yelled in shock.

"That's not gonna work!" Miss Valentine said as she floated down. She snapped the hairband holding Vivi's hair, and the blue locks floated down around her face as she tried to counterattack.

Zoro and I were scaling down the building as Egraham was hit by some kind of explosive.  
Mr. Five and Miss Valentine walked forward, ignoring the smoking remnants behind them, and closed on Miss Wednesday.

"The traitors are Egraham, the leader of the royal guard of Alabasta, and the Princess Nefertari Vivi." Mr. Five said languidly. I ignored the idiots in favor of helping Zoro carry Luffy to safety.

"Damn! Sure is a busy night." I grumbled.  
"Just go and do whatever you wanted to do." Zoro called to the warring pairs as we trotted past. Mr. Five picked a booger out of his nose and flicked it, causing a huge explosion.  
Zoro ground to a halt, and stared in shock.

"That's some dangerous snot." He said as his eyebrow twitched.  
I chuckled at his expression, and went to move, but watched as Egraham grabbed Zoro's leg.

"Hey! What are you doing?" I snapped angrily.  
"Please, Sir! You and your friend are so powerful, please do me a favor!" He cried in desperation.  
"Why should we do you a favor?" Zoro snarled.

"Those two people got their abilities from Devil Fruits, I can't beat them. Please protect the princess for me!" He begged.

Vivi ran off atop her pet duck while I tried to shake Egraham off of Zoro.

"PLEASE! IF YOU TAKE THE PRINCESS TO ALABASTA, WE WILL REWARD YOU HANDSOMELY!" He cried, and my eyes froze over.  
"Do you want me to hurt you again or something?" I asked, my voice colder than a glacier.  
"A huge reward? Really?" came a voice from behind and I groaned.

"Nami..." I hissed as I put my face in my hands.

"That's really interesting! How about 1 Billion Beli?"

_Oh god, here we go._


	16. Chapter 16

"One billion beli?" Egraham squawked noisily. I rubbed the bridge of my nose, irritated. This night had become far too long for my liking.

"Didn't you pass out drunk?" Zoro was asking Nami as she hopped down from the roof, and she snorted in derision.  
"As if. You think I could sleep in a town full of bounty hunters? I faked the whole thing. Am I good or what?"  
"Oh. Is that so."

Nami ignored the bland jibe in favor of turning to Egraham.

"So! Will you be paying me one million beli, Mr. Royal Guard? If we don't help you, your princess will die for sure."  
"HOW CAN A SOLDIER LIKE ME FIND THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY?" Egraham yelled, and I began to walk away.  
"So, your princess is worthless compared to money?"

"Oi, Nami. Do what you want, but I'm helping the princess whether or not you wrangle money from Egraham." I spat out, looking over my shoulder at her as Egraham stared in shock.

"You...How are you even alive?" He stammered, and I gave him a brief look.  
"It's none of your business."  
"You know each other?" Nami asked curiously and I stiffened.

"I'll explain it to everyone when we get on the boat and leave. I don't want to have to repeat myself." I said coldly, taking off before I could hear more complaints.

_Stupid Vivi._

_Stupid Egraham._

_Stupid__** Me.**_

I leaped onto the roof of a building as I raced across the town. I would have to tell the crew about my past now, since we were getting embroiled in this anyway, and ask for their forgiveness. I had the sneaking suspicion Zoro had figured some of it out though.

I glanced down at the street to see Mr. Five charging the muscle bound woman Zoro had beaten earlier. She was standing between him and the princess, so she must be helping, I figured.

_That leaves me with escort duty._

I dropped down from the building and caught up with the princess easily, appearing by her side from thin air.

"Hey, Princess." I said calmly as she jolted away.

"BOOGER BULLET!"

I barely had time to spin around before Zoro leaped in front of us to slice the thing in half. The cut pieces exploded on either side of us as he looked seriously angry.

"Mr. Swordsman! Mr. Fighter!" Vivi exclaimed as the number five pair looked cross.  
"Who are those people?" Mr. Five asked Miss Valentine.

"WHY DO I HAVE TO CUT BOOGERS?" Zoro yelled in frustration as Vivi started swinging a strange weapon around her finger.  
"Why do you have to show up NOW?" She exclaimed, aiming it at Zoro's head.

I coalesced in front of her, a hand held on her wrist, stopping her movement.

"Calm down. We're here to help you." Zoro said without looking behind him at us.  
Vivi was staring at us in shock. "Wha...Help me?" She gasped in confusion.  
I glided away from her, releasing her wrist.

"So...you two are the ones who destroyed the town. Why do you want to protect the Princess of Alabasta?" Mr. Five asked.|  
"We have our reasons." Zoro answered evasively, and cast a glance in my direction as I frowned.

"Nevermind. You still can't compare to us, you're just another worthless obstacle." He said flippantly.  
"Right! So, this obstacle shall be crushed to the ground by my power." Miss Valentine said as she removed her hat.  
I snorted.

_Rookie._

"ZORO!"

The first mate and I lifted our eyes to see Luffy come waddling for us, his belly still completely full of food.

"What is it NOW?" Miss Valentine complained while Zoro looked smug.

"Luffy! So you've come to help...or do you owe that sea-witch too?" He asked with a smirk that was quickly wiped away by Luffy's next angry words.

"I WON'T FORGIVE YOU THIS TIME! FIGHT ME!"  
"Wh...WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I DON'T GET IT!"  
"SHUT UP! I'M GOING TO CRUSH YOU, YOU UNGRATEFUL BASTARD!"  
"...Ungrateful?"  
"THAT'S RIGHT! I WON'T FORGIVE YOU!"

I watched the volley go back and forth, torn between amusement and seriousness.

"THEY GAVE US A WARM WELCOME AND BROUGHT US FOOD, BUT YOU HURT THEM ALL!" Luffy yelled, and Zoro looked like a man shot between the eyes.  
"Well, yea, I did that, but..." He grimaced, and snapped out of his shock, trying instead to reason with the captain.

"Luffy, just listen to me. These people are..."  
"DON'T MAKE EXCUSES!"

**CRACK**

The wall fell apart where Zoro's head had been seconds earlier, and the swordsman dodged to one side.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?" he shrieked angrily. Luffy's eyes narrowed, and I realized he was pissed.  
"Yes. Go to Hell."

I winced.

Zoro had the same reaction. "What? CAN YOU LISTEN TO ME FIRST?" He yelled as Luffy kept up his relentless assault.

"Shit...that idiot is serious this time." The swordsman hissed with a furrowed brow.

"Why aren't you stopping them?" Vivi asked me, and I glanced over at her with a shrug as I caught a glimpse of Zoro kicking Luffy, which sent the two other Baroque Agents flying through the air.  
"Because it's not my place to interfere." I said as I stood rock-steady, arms crossed over my chest.  
Vivi took another good look at me.

"...Kai?"

_Man, how many questions can she pack into one word?_

"Yes." I responded simply as I looked over at her with a hollow feeling in my stomach.  
"You...but I...You were..." She floundered and my smile was full of self hate.

"I'll explain everything when we get you safely away." I said softly as a loud cracking noise came from the direction of their fight.

"I AM REALLY ANGRY NOW! DIE FROM THE KILO KILO FRUIT!" Miss Valentine yelled, and I glanced up to see her flying through the air on her parasol.  
Vivi had a more extreme reaction.

"Mr. Swordsman, get out of here! That woman will..."  
"Shut up. This isn't the time to worry about that." Zoro said with a look of grim determination. I mirrored his expression, knowing exactly what was about to happen, and it wasn't going to be pretty.

Luffy emerged from the wreckage of the building holding Mr. Five by the collar.  
"Ha...all that exercise helped me digest that food."

"Mr. Five! But he was an officer agent of Baroque Works!" Vivi exclaimed and I snorted, feeling some light amusement while Luffy fixed Zoro with a serious look.  
"Finally, lets get serious." He said, his voice promising pain.

Zoro sighed as he tried the reasonable approach again. "Luffy, listen to me. All the people in this town are bounty hunters. They are all our enemies." He explained patiently.

"Hey, you'll be sorry if you don't pay attention to me!" Miss Valentine said angrily from above.

"LIES! WHAT KIND OF ENEMY WOULD BRING US FOOD?" shouted Luffy.

Miss Valentine's expression grew quite scary.  
"ARE YOU SURE? MY SKILL IS TO CONTROL MY WEIGHT! FROM 2.2 lbs to 22000 lbs!" She yelled angrily, and dove towards Zoro.

The swordsman took a single step to the side as he removed his bandanna from his arm. Miss Valentine smashed into the ground where he had stood seconds before, and I smirked at the simple evasion.

"I don't think you're going to listen to me...You idiot! Now I have to be serious! If you die, don't be sorry!" Zoro snapped as he tied the bandanna around his head, shadowing his eyes.  
"NO WAY!" Luffy responded.

Vivi made a small movement next to me. "Wait a minute! Aren't they friends?" She asked, and I smirked.  
"It's because they are friends that they have to do this." I said, and she tried to move past me.

I stopped her with my arm extended across her path. The two fighters were exchanging blows faster than the eye could follow, though my attention was drawn to the swordsman more.

_Focus._

"I won't let you go out there. This is between men." I said firmly, glaring her down from under my headband. She stood up under my gaze well for a few seconds, then her stern exterior crumbled. I lowered my arm and turned back to watch the fight.

Zoro and Luffy were in a deadlock.

"Hey...this is a good opportunity. Let's see who is better between a fighter and a swordsman!" Zoro said with a bloodthirsty grin which Luffy readily returned.  
"Sure! Lets do that!" He ground out. The force of both of their next attacks sent them flying into opposite walls.

"What am I going to do? If I can get through this, I'll be safe." Vivi was muttering.  
"You're safest with us." I said calmly.

My mood dissipated when I saw the two Baroque Works agents running towards Luffy and Zoro.  
I shouldn't have worried though.

Both men turned to the annoying pair.

"DON'T INTERFERE IN OUR FIGHT!" They punched the two agents out easily and effortlessly.

"They are too noisy." Zoro remarked.  
"Where are these idiots coming from?" Luffy snapped, angry at having been interrupted.

"This is impossible. They're so strong! I never would have thought I would meet these kind of people at the entrance of Grand Line." Vivi exclaimed, and I chuckled.  
"Did you think I would join a crew that was weak?" I asked her lightly.

Zoro and Luffy charged one another once more, and were both sucker-punched by Nami.

"What are you two idiots doing?" She snapped. I shrugged.  
"They were fighting." I said casually, and Nami dragged them over to us by their shirts.

"You two...as long as you can protect that girl, everything will be fine. I was so close to loosing 1 billion beli! Did you realize that?" She asked them angrily and I started to fume silently.

_Yea, money was definitely all she thought about._

"What are you talking about? Why are you helping me?" Vivi asked cautiously, and Nami grinned.  
"That's right, we still need to talk. How about some negotiations?" She said as Zoro and Luffy started to flail like brothers, pulling on each other's cheeks and kicking.  
Vivi ignored this.

"Negotiations?"  
"WILL YOU TWO QUIT FIGHTING?"

* * *

I stood off to one side as our captain sat laughing his ass off. This was going to be awkward later on..

"Why didn't you tell me first? I thought you were mad at them for not having any of your favorite food!" Luffy exclaimed with a bright smile.  
"DON'T COMPARE ME TO YOU!" Zoro shouted at him angrily.

Nami was arguing with Vivi about payment.

"I'm sorry, but that's impossible. Thank you for protecting me though." She said graciously, and I frowned.  
"Why? Aren't you a princess? It's just 1 billion beli." Nami said, confused.  
I bit my lip to keep from yelling at her.

"Have you heard of Alabasta?" Vivi asked, carefully not looking at me. Nami shook her head.  
"No, I've never heard of it." She said, and Vivi cast me a wistful glance.

I rolled my shoulders, uncomfortable as eyes turned to me, and gave her a 'go-on' motion.

"It used to be the most peaceful and civilized nation on Grand Line." Vivi said sadly.  
"Used to?" Nami echoed, and I examined a point in the distance carefully.

"During the last 2-3 years, there was a huge civil war. The citizens started to create a turmoil, disturbing the nation. One day, I heard about an organization named 'Baroque Works', and learned that our citizens were being persuaded by the organization. Since we didn't know anything else about them, I asked Egraham, my guard, to help me." She said, giving me a very pointed look that I avoided.

"You mean the old guy with curly hair?" Luffy asked, raising his hands in an imitation.  
Vivi nodded, and continued.

"With such a small rumor, we couldn't do anything though. We decided to join Baroque Works to dig up some secrets, like who was behind the organization and what their goal was."  
"You're one brave princess." Zoro commented, impressed, and Vivi sighed.

"Boss used the words, 'create a dream country' to control everyone. His real goal is to conquer Alabasta. I have to hurry home and warn everyone, because if I can't stop them, we'll all fall into his trap." She explained, looking downcast.

"I get it. A chaotic nation won't have a lot of money, huh." Nami said with a huff.  
"So, who's 'Boss'?" Luffy asked, and Vivi waved her hands at him in panic.

"The Boss? It's the only thing I can't tell you because it will cost you your lives." She said, panicky. I shrugged at the sentiment.  
"Well, that's fine. A person who wants to conquer a nation has to be the worst man alive!" Nami said with a grin.  
Vivi nodded her assent vigorously.

"Yea. No matter how good you are, you can't stand up to Crocodile of the Shichibukai."

I put a hand over my face.

_You idiot_...

"You just said the name, didn't you." Zoro deadpanned as the others in the group went into shock.

Vivi's eyes fixated on a spot above us, and I turned to see the a vulture and a sea otter staring down at us.  
They flew off into the distance as we watched them go.  
I groaned.

_Awesome._

Nami's reaction was a little more extreme.

"HEY! WHAT WAS WITH THAT VULTURE AND OTTER? ARE THEY GOING BACK TO REPORT TO YOUR BOSS THAT WE KNOW HIS SECRET? TELL ME!" She screamed as she shook Vivi back and forth like a rag doll.  
"I'm sorry..." the princess managed to say, and I fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I'M REALLY SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO TELL YOU! IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY? WHY HAS ONLY ONE WORD FROM YOU CAUSED ME A WORLD OF HURT?" Nami was half screaming half crying. "We just came to the Grand Line and one of the Shichibukai wants us dead." She said with a sob, and I snorted in disdain.

One has wanted me dead for five years, and you don't see _me_ bitching about it.

"I never thought we would meet one this early! I wonder what kind of person he is!" Luffy said excitedly.  
"SHUT UP!" Nami shrieked, and began to walk off.

"Where are you going?" Luffy asked, tilting his head in confusion.  
"He still doesn't know who I am, so I'm going to leave now." She said.

The otter and vulture stood in her path, holding pictures of her up for her examination.  
"Oh, that's really good...WAIT NOW I CAN'T LEAVE!" She shrieked as Luffy laughed.

"That's an interesting otter!" He exclaimed, and Zoro gave her a strange look.  
"Where would you have escaped to, anyway?" He muttered under his breath.

"This means that you are all in Baroque Work's black list now, you know." I said solemnly. Zoro grinned devilishly while Luffy just smiled.  
"It's so exciting!" He said and I looked away, refusing to let my emotions get the better of me.

_You can handle this, idiot._

"Do-Do-Don't worry! I have a plan!" I heard a familiar voice say, and glanced over my shoulder. My mouth fell open in shock.  
"Egraham! Why are you dressed like that?"

"Your dress is so nice!" Luffy seemed hung up on that point.

Zoro gave him a disbelieving look.  
"In what way.." He muttered.

"Crazy people, all of you..."

Egraham was standing behind us, wearing a larger version of Vivi's outfit. It looked AWFUL.

"Listen up. If you are wanted by Baroque Works, sooner or later they send someone out after you. The number Five pair is still unconscious so that's good. Also, because Boss is a Shichibukai, the government doesn't want him arrested. But back when he was a pirate, his bounty was 80 million Beli. So how about it? Will you take the princess to Alabasta?" He asked Luffy, who looked confused.

"What are you talking about?"  
"He wants us to take the princess back to her country." Zoro said, jerking a thumb at the girl in question.  
"Oh. Sure. Why not?" Luffy said casually.

Nami freaked.

"80 MILLION BELI? THAT'S FOUR TIMES HIGHER THAN ARLONGS! FORGET IT!"

Egraham ignored her and turned to the princess.

"Please give me the Eternal Post." He asked gently, and Nami perked up.  
"An Eternal Post?" She echoed and I smirked.

"You didn't know? It's a permanent Log Post. The regular kind guide you from one island to another, but an Eternal Post stays locked onto one magnetic field forever." I elaborated, and her mouth fell open.  
"How did you know that?" She queried and I said nothing.

"This Eternal Post will take me to Alabasta." Egraham said, ignoring our navigators sudden outburst. "Princess, I will disguise myself as you and take these dummies with me to Alabasta. While Baroque Works is chasing me, please go to Alabasta using the normal route. I've never used it personally, but I believe it's only 2 or 3 islands before you reach our country. If you are safe, I will see you there." Egraham told Vivi, then turned his gaze to me.

"I'm holding you personally responsible for her safety. Protect her with your life." He said and I gave him my blankest look.

"I've already did that once." I said calmly as Zoro's eyes flew to my shirt and the way my arms were crossed over my chest.

"I think you will have a lot of obstacles in your journey, but please take good care of yourself." Egraham said as he hugged the princess and set off.  
"He's cool till the end." Luffy said with a smile.  
"He's someone I rely on a lot." Vivi said as we watched him go.

Zoro cast me a strange look, but said nothing, and for that I was grateful.

Our attention was commanded by a large explosion, and my eyes focused intently, trying to find a speck of the ship that Egraham had been on.

"DAMN IT! SOMEONE FOUND HIM!" Zoro yelled, and I moved over to Vivi, who was staring at the conflagration. I tuned out the others as I stepped up next to the princess and stepped in front of her gaze, shielding her eyes from the sight.

Her expression gave it all away. She was about to break, but refused to do so.

_Strong as ever._

I put my hand on her head and didn't change my expression as she grabbed the front of my jacket.  
"I'm so sorry." I murmured softly.

Nami was there seconds later. "WE HAVE TO GO! IF THEY FIND US, THIS WILL ALL BE FOR NOTHING!" She exclaimed, then noticed that the princess was biting her lip so hard it was bleeding.  
"It's all right. We'll get you home." She said as she placed her hands on Vivi's shoulders and looked at me.

"These three helped save East Blue. A Shichibukai is nothing!" She exclaimed, and my hands shook for a second.  
"We should go." I said as I disentangled Vivi's hands from my jacket and turned, kneeling in front of her.

"Hop on. It will be faster this way." I said, and she grabbed onto my neck. I hefted her easily and hooked her legs over my arms as we raced to the ship.

"So, how do you two know each other?" Nami asked, and I shook my head.  
"Later. I don't want to have to explain myself twice." I said briefly as we ran.

We made it to the ship and I set Vivi down as Zoro pulled the anchor up.  
"Where's Carue?" Vivi finally exclaimed in shock.

"Oh, your duck? He's probably around." I said as I carefully removed my jacket and set it in the galley.

"I CAN'T LEAVE HIM HERE!" she shrieked, and Zoro looked over the railing at us.  
"What's going on?" He asked, his brow arching.

"Her duck, Carue, disappeared and she wants to go find him." Nami said as I chuckled.  
"Oh, this guy? He was here before me." Zoro said, pointing at the large duck that appeared next to him.

I laughed and Vivi stared at me.

"Kai, I never saw you laugh before." She said, and my smile slowly disappeared as my mood turned somber.

Luffy hauled Sanji and Usopp over the railing as this happened, and Vivi quickly forgot about the comment, though Nami was staring at me with a strange expression.

"We need to turn the ship upstream. It's the fastest way to get out of here." Vivi said, and we rushed to follow the instructions she and Nami barked out.

"Do you know how many people are going to be following us?" Luffy asked in a rare moment of seriousness.  
"I'm not sure. There are about 2,000 people working for Baroque, and there are a lot of towns like this one." Vivi said slowly.

"I think about 1,000. We know who the Boss really is, and that's a big deal." Nami interjected, and I smiled sadly to myself.  
"I'm going downstairs to change." I announced as I went downstairs.

I pulled off my shirt and rummaged around in my bag for one of my sport bras and slipped it on in place of the bandages I usually wore. I yanked on one of my shirts that didn't have ale all over it and set my red headband down, feeling particularly naked without it. I huffed and pulled on a pair of plain black pants and tucked the legs into my boots. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair.

Stop dilly dallying. You owe them an explanation, now go and start explaining.

I moved up to the deck and crossed to the group, suddenly noting that they were staring at something else.

"You are so unlucky to help the princess, the enemy of Baroque Works." A soft, familiar voice said, and I spun, eyes widening.

The woman in question wore a cowboy-esque outfit and was placing Luffy's straw hat atop her own. Her eyes met mine and a slow smile crept across her face.

_Fuck. Not Nico Robin._

"And you too, princess. You only have a few pirates to help you..But I see that you found someone else very interesting." She said, her eyes locking onto mine. "I never would have expected to see you here, Delanoi Kai. Have you had fun these last five years in hiding?" She asked, and my face paled.

_I'm going to be the one to tell them, not you!_

"You bitch." I hissed angrily.  
She only smiled more.

"Your master has been very concerned about his favorite slave, you know. Should I tell him you're traveling with a pirate crew?"

I froze, every instinct in my body screaming at me to attack this woman. I could feel the eyes of the crew on me as I tensed at the words.

"If you so much as touch one hair on their heads I will murder your whole organization in the most horrible ways possible." The threat came out as a sibilant hiss that echoed throughout the ship as I glared her down.

"You're so protective. Don't worry though, I won't tell him you're heading towards Alabasta. You'll end up announcing your presence anyway." Robin commented, and I shook with anger.  
I didn't dare look at the crew, I just couldn't.

I noted clinically that I could no longer actually see the ship I was standing on. That couldn't mean good things for my anger levels.

"Besides that, princess, your next destination is worse than your choice in companions. Little Garden. We don't even have to make a move, and you might end up dead before you see Crocodile's face." Robin said, and Luffy's expression grew fierce.

"You think we'll do as you say? GIVE ME MY HAT BACK!" he roared angrily. The She-Devil only smirked, and flipped his straw hat at him.

"Stop barking. You know you'll face a lot of obstacles, but you still want to go. You're really crazy." She said as she tossed something to Vivi, who caught it.  
"An Eternal Post?" She asked, turning the small hourglass shaped item over in her hands.

"That will take you to Alabasta. Crocodile doesn't even know the route, so if you want to get there safely, use that." The woman said, and Nami stared up at her.  
"Why are you doing this?"

"I think it's a trap." voiced Zoro, who was watching me with an air of concern as I stood motionless by the mast. Robin's eyes narrowed.  
"Trap or not, the decision is yours." She said, and Luffy took the post from Vivi.

"Not a problem." He said mildly before crushing it in his fist.

"YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO DECIDE OUR ROUTE!" Luffy yelled angrily.

"Oh? That's a pity. I don't mind people with good spirits, like you. If we're lucky we'll meet again." She said as she left the boat. Vivi slid down to the deck in a heap.  
"I don't get that woman at all." She said to no one in particular.

"Don't worry about that." Nami said, and I heard boots tapping against the deck.

"There's a person like that on our ship too." Zoro said calmly as he moved to stand in front of me. "Are you alright?" He asked, and I glanced up at him through my bangs, catching a glimpse of a frown.

_He was worried?_

"Can you explain what that was all about?" Usopp asked me hesitantly.  
"Y-yea." I said as my voice shook. "Just give me a minute..."

Chk-**fwoom.**

An indrawn breath and an exhale.

A lit cigarette appeared in front of my face, and I lifted my head to look blankly between the proffered cigarette and Sanji. He frowned, and waved it a bit. I lifted my hand and took it from him, placing it to my lips as I took a long drag.

"Thanks." I murmured as I exhaled, closing my eyes.

"Let's take this into the galley." Zoro said, and we all filed in except for one person.

"Aren't you coming, Luffy?" asked Nami curiously.  
He shook his head and grinned.

"I don't care about Kai's past." He said as he wandered off. I grinned, my mood lightening a bit as I sank into the couch. The others chose seats around the table or stood, in Sanji's case. Zoro threw himself down in a boneless heap on the other end of the couch, and they all looked at me expectantly.

I took another drag of my cigarette, feeling the waves of anger slowly recede while I tried to order my thoughts and failed miserably.

I exhaled a cloud of smoke. "I don't even know where to begin. Ask me something." I said, waving my hand as I leaned back against the couch.  
Sanji frowned a bit.

"How long were you a slave for?" He asked as he studied me.  
I grimaced.

"Until five years ago." I said shortly, and he gave me a strange look.

"That's not exactly the question I asked." He pointed out, and I took a deep breath.

"My whole life, then." was my response, and I could feel the others tense a bit more.

"I was born in the slave camps surrounding Shabody Archipelago, near the entrance to the New World on Grand Line. I was sold when I was five years old, after I had been forced to eat the Iki Iki fruit." I said, and Nami's eyes widened.

"You're a devil fruit user?" She exclaimed, and even Zoro looked shocked.  
I shrugged a bit, uncomfortable.

"Yea. I'm...well, do you know about the three different types of fruits?" I asked, and sighed at their confused looks.

"Like I said, there are three different kinds of Devil Fruits. The first and most common, are paramecia. They change the properties of the user's body. Luffy and Buggy are examples." I said, and they mulled over this. "The second kind are the Zoan. They change the user's body into different animal types. There's another sub-class known as Mythical Zoan, but I won't get into that right now." I said, and moved on quickly. "The third type, and rarest, are the Logia Fruits. They allow the user to turn into a naturally occurring element. I'm one of these." I said, and could have heard a pin drop.

"Wait so you can turn into an element? Why would you hide that?" Nami asked, confused.  
"What element are you? How does that work?" Usopp asked, and I held up my hands.

"One thing at a time. Yes, I can turn into my element, which is Air. I can manipulate and control it as well as transform into it..like when I crushed the Black Cat's ship." I said, and Usopp's mouth fell open.  
"That was YOUR doing?" He shrieked, and I fidgeted.

"Yea, I called a cyclone down on it." I said, my gaze sliding away as I hurried onto the next topic. "As for why I would hide it..that ties into our current situation." I said.

Vivi frowned. "How so? It's not like you had anything to do with Baroque Works." She said and I closed my eyes, not saying anything.

"Kai?" She asked, her voice trembling as I took a deep breath, steeling myself.

"My former master was Crocodile the Shichibukai." I said softly, clenching my fists as I stared a hole in the floor.

Silence reigned.

"You're kidding..." Her voice was trembling as I lifted my eyes to look at the crew.

"My handcuffs were made of seastone, a substance that nullifies Devil Fruit powers. I wore those specifically because Logia powers are very distinctive. I couldn't risk being found while traveling with you." I said, and dully noted how Zoro's jaw was clenched.

"You were trying to protect us the whole time..." Nami said, and her voice shook. I shrugged one shoulder and smiled a bit.  
"Well, it didn't work too well, did it? We're still being chased down by Baroque Works whether or not I would have said anything or not." I said lamely.

"So when you saved my life, did you do that just to get on my family's good side? Were you spying for Crocodile?" Vivi asked angrily and I sighed.

"Princess..I was supposed to kill you." I said as I took another drag of my cigarette.

Her eyes widened.

"Then why did you save me?" She asked, confused.

"Save you? I wasn't trying to." I snarled as I ruthlessly put the cigarette out and exhaled.

"Crocodile bought me for one purpose and one purpose only, to train me to be his personal money maker. He entered me in every gladiator tournament there was, and I won them all. That's how he had enough money to start Baroque Works. After I was banned from the tournaments for winning too much, he assigned me to be your guard and kill you off when I had the opportunity." I snapped, feeling the tense anger rise throughout my body.

"I didn't, because I didn't want to live. There was no way I could have escaped on my own from that hellhole. I took those hits for you because I wanted to _die_, princess." I hissed as the others just watched me mutely.

"I have no idea why Crocodile let me live when I failed him that spectacularly. As it is, the only reason I'm here today is that he sent me to the pens where they keep slaves who have no masters. I was lucky that the Revolutionary Army hit the place a few weeks later and set us all free." I finished as I tried to relax back into the couch.

"How did you even survive that? You were practically cut into four pieces!" Vivi exclaimed as a tear slid down her face.  
"What?" Zoro growled, straightening up, and I let out a short bark of laughter.

"I was patched up just enough to survive until I was sold again, which didn't happen. Dragon the Revolutionary had me sent to a very good doctor who fixed me up, but you don't want to see the scars. Trust me." I said with hollow humor in my tone.

"That's horrible...I had no idea..." Nami said as she stared at me, and I glanced away.  
"So you saved Vivi's life?" Usopp asked as I finally relaxed against the couch.

"Yea. I was attacked one day when I was out with some friends, and she jumped out of nowhere to take the attack. I thought she had died, and when we went back to get her, she wasn't there anymore." Vivi said as her eyes lingered on my chest.

"Oh I see...WAIT KAI IS A GIRL?" Usopp shrieked, and Sanji dropped his cigarette. Nami's jaw was scraping against the floor. Zoro looked nonplussed.

"You mean you idiots didn't notice?" He asked nonchalantly, and I stared at him.  
"How the hell did you figure it out? No, better yet, WHEN did you figure it out?" I asked, stunned.

He flushed and looked away.

"Ah...when Nami was stitching you up in the boat." He said by way of explanation, and my face flushed crimson.

And he had been _SNUGGLING_ me?_ Oh my **GOD.**_

_Embarrassment wasn't a strong enough word._

"WHAT? HOW DID THE MARIMO NOTICE AND I DIDN'T!"  
"What did you say, you shitty cook?"  
"You want to fight...Ma-ri-mo?"

"KNOCK IT OFF!" Nami screamed at them, and I tugged on Zoro's haramaki to get him to sit back down.  
"Oh, I am so sorry, my lovely Nami!"  
"SANJI! BREAKFAST!" Came Luffy's rambunctious yell as he burst through the doors.

I laughed, a pure honest laugh, and joined in the fun.


	17. Chapter 17

Breakfast was a messy affair.

I tried my best to keep Luffy away from my food but only barely succeeded in that. It just wasn't FAIR that he could stretch like that!  
Between Sanji yelling at him and the rest of us shrieking at him, we eventually managed to eat everything that had been cooked.

Little did I know that this is when my personal hell would begin.

"Kai! Vivi! Come with me!" Nami ordered, and I opened one eye to look at her as I lounged on the couch.  
"Why...wazzup?" I slurred, well on my way to a food coma.  
"Just come with me!" She snapped, and I got to my feet slowly and followed her and Vivi down the stairs.

I yawned and shuffled towards the bed, dead tired.

"Don't lay down on that, you're covered in sweat and blood and who knows what else." Nami sniffed, and I shrugged before sitting on the floor.  
Vivi and I exchanged confused looks while the navigator searched through her drawers for...something.

"What ya doing?" I asked as I leaned on Vivi's shoulder. She graced me with a smile and ran her fingers through my hair.

_That feels nice._

I closed my eyes and relaxed while Nami's voice became slightly more muffled.

"Well, neither of you really have spare changes of clothing, so I'm going to lend you some of mine." She said as she burrowed through the small mountain of clothes.  
"Oh, miss Navigator! You're so kind!" Vivi exclaimed and I shifted closer as she giggled.  
"You still act like a cat sometimes." She teased, and I just smiled.

"Try these on to start!" Nami said as a few items of clothing landed in a pile in my lap. I moved off of Vivi's shoulder and stared at the items of cloth.

Well, this wasn't even cloth.

"This is barely a napkin! Nami, I can't wear this!" I exclaimed in shock as I examined the...thing...she had tossed into my lap. She laughed at my reaction.  
"Just try it on!" She said, pulling my shirt up over my head.

I hissed, my back smacking into the wall as I hunched over. They stared at the two long scars running from shoulder to hip in disbelief.  
"I...those are from when..." Vivi started to say, and I flinched.  
"Y-yea."

Nami frowned, and pulled another shirt from her closet. She tossed it to me causally, and I caught it with one hand.  
"Use that one then." She said, and I examined the cloth.  
"Well...fine." I said begrudgingly as I pulled it on over my head.

She waved the skirt at me and I shook my head.

"Nami, I'm not wearing a skirt. I'm a fighter." I said with an air of finality, and Vivi giggled.  
"I've never seen her wear a skirt EVER." She said as Nami began searching for a pair of pants.

After a few moments of searching, she located a pair of red skinny pants and handed them to me.

"Fine then. But one day I'll get you into a skirt, and you'll like it." She said, and I flushed as I shimmied out of my beat up pants.  
"Like there's anyone I would wear a skirt for." I scoffed as I pulled on the loaned pants.

"Well, Mr. Swordsman and you were sleeping quite soundly on the way here." Vivi said innocently, and I choked on air.  
"Zoro? I uh...what?" I said intelligently.

Nami laughed, and I didn't like the look in her eyes. "I saw you and him at the party, you know." She said.

_Oh. _

_Shit._

I twitched slightly and flushed.

"Uh we were just acting.." I stammered out, and she just smirked.  
"Sure you were. Now go on outside already." She ordered, and I moved to the door in a daze.

Me and Zoro? But..No. Just no. He's hot...FUCKING hot. But he's our swordsman...and he has a goal that takes up so much of his time. I can't see...

"Hey, you look nice."

I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sudden compliment, and turned beet red as I realized who had delivered it.

The green haired swordsman was lounging on the lower deck, seemingly napping. One of his eyes was open though, and was staring at me in approval.  
I walked over and lay down on the deck next to him as Carue and Luffy wandered over to join us.

Sanji shot out of the kitchen like a bat out of hell.

"Who wants my special drink?" He asked, and we all raised various appendages. (Zoro, being the lazy man that he was, decided that removing his arms from under his head was too much work and shot his leg up in the air instead.)

"Bring it on!" We all shouted, and I sat up as he came over to hand us our drinks.

The instant he saw me, however, I could have SWORN I saw a heart pop out of his eye as he began to do a little noodle dance.  
"You look so nice today!" He exclaimed, and my eyebrow twitched.  
I ignored him.

"Hey Usopp, can you build me a fishing pole?" Luffy asked, and the sharpshooter became thoughtful for a moment.  
"Ok! I can build you a GREAT fishing pole!" He exclaimed, and I just knew he had been going over a list of materials in his mind.

Zoro sat up, interested, his laziness gone.  
"Fishing?"

I was busy fending off the Love-cook. I understood why Zoro called him that now...dear God Sanji could be annoying.

"No thank you, Sanji. I'm really not..."  
"But I insist, my dear!" He exclaimed as he handed me a plate with a sandwich on it.  
I sighed and accepted it.

"Sanji, I wish you would just treat me like you have been." I muttered, and he looked honestly confused.  
"But you are a woman! Women should be told how lovely they are, and made to feel special!" He exclaimed, and I huffed.

"Oi, Ero-Cook. Is there air between your ears?"  
"Say what,_ Marimo?_ As if you think anything beyond training and sleeping!"  
"At least I'm not a pervert."  
"I AM NOT A PERVERT!"  
"Yea, yea, go ahead and tell yourself that.  
"Like you're any better, you shit swordsman."  
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

And then they were fighting.

I sighed helplessly as Sanji abruptly broke it off to look over at something in the ocean. "Hey, look! A Dolphin!" He exclaimed, and I shot Zoro a grateful smile. He just smirked and shook his head, as if to say_ 'Dont' worry about it'. _

A shadow fell over the ship, and we suddenly realized that the cute dolphin was _**FUCKING HUGE. **_

"RUN AWAY!"

* * *

"So this must be the next island, Little Garden." Nami said as we approached the island. We had successfully gotten away from the giant dolphin, and were quickly approaching the next island in the chain.

I was honestly curious as to why Nico Robin had warned us away from here. After I had been taken to that crazy doctor, I had taken a different route to East Blue than the one we were following.  
Vivi seemed to share my concerns.

"Be careful. I'm starting to worry about what Miss All-Sunday said." She said as she looked around in the trees.  
Usopp looked determined this time.

"There are going to be monsters here, I just know it." He was saying to Sanji, who brushed off his concerns.  
"Don't know, don't care. We need to hunt some food down though, because we didn't get the chance to restock at Whiskey Peak." He said as he pulled on his cigarette.

"This place looks like a tropical forest!" I exclaimed as I leaned against the railing excitedly.  
"Little Garden, huh?" Zoro commented lightly as he looked around the riverbank.  
"How come it's not as little as it's name? I've never seen these kinds of trees before.." Nami mused aloud.

A squawking noise startled us, and Nami let out a girlish shriek.  
"What was that?" Vivi exclaimed, and Sanji grinned.

_Again with those wierd hearts. _

"Awwwww you're so cute, Nami! Don't worry though, it was just a bird. And this is just a normal forest!" The cook said as he grinned at the navigator.

Luffy and the rest of us, however, were paying more attention to the sky.

A giant flying...lizard...thing...was riding the air currents right above our heads.

"Is that a gecko?" Luffy asked curiously as we stared in shock.  
"That...is definitely not a gecko." I said.

**BOOM**

"IS THAT A NORMAL SOUND FOR A FOREST?" Nami shrieked, and Usopp freaked out.  
"IT SOUNDS LIKE A VOLCANO!" He exclaimed.

I heard a loud growling noise, and watched as a large tiger broke through the brush, only to jump back into the forest with a snarl.

"This...is definitely not a normal forest!" The navigator was trembling and stammering.  
"We aren't going down there." Usopp said with an air of finality.

Nami's posture grew firmer.  
"We will stay until the Log Post is set, and then get out of here as soon as possible." She said, and I yawned.

"Sanji...make me a lunchbox."

I looked over at Luffy while I walked over to the galley to retrieve my jacket. He was trembling with excitement, and had a huge grin on his face.  
"I smell an adventure!" the captain exclaimed, and I chuckled at his exuberance.

"Hey wait a minute! Where do you think you're going?" Nami exclaimed angrily.  
Luffy just smiled.

"An adventure. Do you want to come along too?" He asked with a happy smile.  
She crumbled at the look, defeat written across her features.

_Yea, no one can stop him when he's like this. _

"SANJI! LUNCHBOX!"  
"Ok, just give me a minute."

Vivi looked up hesitantly. "Can I go too?" She asked rather shyly, and Nami stared at her in shock while Luffy began to get jittery.

"Sure, sure!" the captain exclaimed.  
"Not you too!" Nami cried in despair.

Vivi smiled a bit. "Yea. If I don't do something, I'll just keep thinking about things. I want to relax some before the Log Post resets." She explained, and then motioned to Carue.  
"Besides, he's coming with me." She said with a sunny smile.  
Carue looked defiant.

"It doesn't look like he wants to..." I muttered as I checked to make sure my katars were firmly secured.

"Hey, I'm going to go for a walk." I called out, and hopped over the railing.  
"Hey, wait a minute. I'll come too." Zoro said as he moved to follow me.

"Wait! Zoro!" the cook yelled.  
"Huh?"

"Can you hunt something while you're out? We don't have any food left." Sanji yelled over the railing, and Zoro turned away with a smirk.  
"I know. Since you are incapable of doing something so simple, of course I'll take care of it for you." He said with an evil grin that Sanji couldn't see.

I had to really fight to control my laughter as Sanji's temper flared up again.

"WAIT A MINUTE!"  
"Hm?"  
"Are you saying you can hunt bigger animals than I can?"  
"Damn straight."  
"LET'S HAVE A COMPETITION! WHOEVER'S ANIMAL WEIGHS MORE POUNDS WINS!"  
"Pounds? Are you joking? I'll find more than a fucking ton! I wish you luck anyway, Ero-cook."

I was laughing by the time Zoro joined me in the treeline. "You and Sanji are really fun to watch." I said with a smile that he slowly returned.  
"Well, the cook makes it too easy to bait him." He said humorously as we moved through the brush.  
I hopped on top of a large root and walked across it like a balance beam.

"Heh. True. So what kind of animals do you think we'll find here?" I asked him as I hopped back down to the ground.  
He shrugged, placing a hand on his swords.

"I have no idea. But I'll find something bigger than that stupid Love Cook, that's for sure." He said serenly, and I grinned.  
"You two fight like brothers." I commented as I walked along.

The forest was really huge. The trees seemed ancient, towering over us effortlessly. And the animals were even bigger.

"You said you wanted to be the best fighter." He said suddenly, and I glanced back at him.

_Where did that come from?_

"Well..yea. If I'm strong, then I won't have to worry about my history biting me in the ass all the time." I said seriously as I fell into thought.

If I was stronger, slavers wouldn't try to recapture me. If I was stronger, I would be able to move around Grand Line without worrying about Crocodile making good on his death threats.

"That doesn't seem very well thought out." Zoro commented, and I spun, scathing remarks ready to fly, when I noticed he was giving me a serious look. It was like he was saying 'Just think about it.'  
I frowned.

"Yea...but I already got one of my dreams. I'm free." I said slowly, and he tilted his head, observing me.  
I let out a short laugh.

"My goal might end up being tweaked a bit as we travel, but for now, that's the only thing I can think of. Dragon did say some interesting things when I left the ship though." I said as Zoro leaned against a tree, his arms crossed over his chest. "Dragon the Revolutionary?" He queried, and I nodded, missing his expression.

"He told me to take my symbol of shame and turn it into one of victory. And I believe that. I think the only way it's going to happen though, is if I prove to the world that even a slave can become someone amazing." I extrapolated, and understanding flitted across the swordsman's face. He pushed off the tree and moved towards me sedately.

"I agree with that too. By the way..." He changed topics abruptly, staring at something behind me.

"What is this? Can we eat it?" He asked, and I turned to see a giant Rhinocerous staring us down.

I tilted my head.

"I'm not sure how dinosaur meat will taste, but it's edible." I said, and Zoro smirked, pulling his swords.

"Well then."

* * *

**A half hour later...**

* * *

Somehow, I had gotten separated from Zoro.

I had spied a large tiger, and had run off to see if I could tame it. After a few minutes of chasing it though, I lost its trail amongst the bushes. As I backtracked though, I was surprised to see the tiger I had been chasing come walking towards me...Sanji on his back.

"Kai darling! Why are you wandering around by yourself? Did that oaf leave you in the forest?" He asked, hearts bursting from his eye.

I twitched.

"No, actually. I can't find him." I said, and fell into step alongside the lovestruck cook.  
"That stupid Marimo! I'm going to rip him a...what is that?" He cut himself off, pointing at a strange wax structure in the middle of the forest.

I narrowed my eyes.

_That isn't natural, obviously. So why would it be here? I can't imagine anyone living here._

Sanji dismounted from the tiger and walked inside the building. I glanced around, noting a den-den mushi and some papers on the table. I frowned as I pushed the papers apart, noticing that they were of our crew.

_The otter and vulture had taken drawings of us._

Nico Robin said that even if Baroque didn't move while we were on Little Garden, that we might not survive.

So there's a base here? This is that base? 

_If these papers are here, I can't find the others, and no one is home, then that must mean..._

"Sorry Sanji! I have to go. I've got a bad feeling about this." I said as I raced out the door and skidded as I got purchase in the ground.

_Hm. Why bother with running?_

I morphed into a gust of wind and raced along the pathways before shooting up over the trees to try to get a better vantage point. The island was huge, separated by two large bone structures. And right inbetween them was a volcano that overshadowed a large...Candle cake?

_The building had been made of wax. _

"Oh FUCK no!" I snarled as I dove towards the clearing.

_Please don't let me be too late!_

"WE STILL CAN SAVE THEIR LIVES! WE NEED TO SET THAT THING ON FIRE!" I heard Usopp yelling, and took in the situation. Zoro, Nami, and Vivi were stuck in a large candle cake, not moving. Usopp was aiming a fire marble at them while Luffy faced off with a man in a candle suit.

My breath hitched as a billion different emotions slammed through me, seeing them trapped like that.

"EXPLOSIVE BREATH BULLET!"

I grabbed the marble bullet from Usopp's sling and coalesced in front of the cake as I rammed the ball into the side of the cake, causing it to crack.

"Ever heard of fanning the flames?" I snarled as I summoned a gust of wind that fed the small fire into a roaring inferno. Deed done, I spun to face Mr. Five and Miss Valentine.  
"KAI!" Luffy yelled as I ensured that the entire cake set on fire. Miss Valentine moved over to Usopp who was lying on the ground in pain.

"And what do you think you were going to accomplish?" She asked him sweetly as she walked forward with a sadistic smile.

"Hey bitch." I snapped as I rushed forward, whirlwinds kicking up behind me as I burst in front of her.

Her eyes widened as I rammed my shoulder into her gut, knocking her back a few feet. Usopp got to his feet and faced off with Mr. Five the exploding man.

"That hurt!" She snapped at me, and jumped into the air.

I smirked up at her and waved a hand lazily. "You think that will work when you're in my territory?" I asked, amused. The gust of wind she had been riding suddenly bore down hard, ripping her parasol to shreds. I grinned, sidestepping her body as she slammed into the ground.

"If you think that hurt...you really aren't going to like this." I said with a grin as I stepped on her stomach, a cyclone appearing around my leg.

Her eyes widened in recognition and she let out a gasp of pain as I slammed a tornado into her midsection.  
She didn't get back up.

Luffy tossed Mr. Three into the inferno as our crew came stumbling out of it.

"That was really hot...Didn't you have a better way of doing it?" Nami complained to me, and I frowned.  
"Hey, shouldn't you be thanking me?" I scowled, and removed my jacket.

Nami wasn't aware that her shirt had been burned off, apparently.  
"That's right...Thanks." She said as she accepted it from me and pulled it on. I searched the inferno for Zoro, but didn't see hide or hair of him.

_Where the hell was he? If he didn't show up in the next few seconds I was gonna..._

"Man...you are really troublemakers. I can't lose anymore." Mr. Five said as he aimed a strange gun at us.  
Usopp stood and took aim carefully.

"TAKE THIS! EXPLODING BULLET!" He yelled, and Mr. Five caught it in his mouth.  
"Idiot. Gunpowder doesn't do anything to m..." He cut off as his face turned beet red.  
"Oh, you ate it? Sorry, but I lied. That's not gunpowder, it's a special hot sauce I made." Usopp said with a smirk, and Mr. Five started breathing fire from his mouth.

"I'll explode myself with you!" Mr. Five yelled, and suddenly the fire took form.

Zoro burst through the flames, slicing Mr. Five up as his swords set on fire. I watched in awe and hero worship as the swordsman shook the fire from his weapons and sheathed them as he fell to one knee.

_Wait...that's a lot of blood..._

"So...being alive is the best thing, right?" He asked, his headband in place as he looked up at one of the giants. I walked over as he stood, and glanced down at his leg.  
"What did you do?" I asked tensly as I observed the long gash running through both of his legs.

"He was going to cut his legs off to get out of the cake." Nami said.  
I stared numbly for a second before scowling.

"When we get back to the ship, I'm cleaning those up first thing." I told Zoro angrily, and he shrugged.  
"Do whatever you like." He said easily as we waited for Luffy to come back.

* * *

"WAAAAAAUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH"

Broggy the giant was crying a river of tears. And he was loud.

"My ears are going to explode!"  
"It's like a waterfall."  
"There's a rainbow behind it!"  
"He's too loud!"  
"I completely understand his feelings!"  
"..."

I sat down against a tree, feeling a bit exhausted from using my powers over such a wide range. It had been too long since I had used them, and I was a little shaky apparently. Zoro sat down next to me to rest his legs, and he caught me staring at his legs.

"I'll be fine." He grunted, ruffling my hair. I bit my lip in consternation as I tore my eyes away.  
"Doesn't mean I can't worry." I mumbled as I heard a rumbling noise, and the other giant slowly sat up.

I tilted my head.  
"So he wasn't dead. Cool."

"It would seem I passed out for a while." The other giant said. I sighed and got to my feet, stretching carefully.  
"Dorry! Why are you..." The giant known as Broggy asked. His companion seemingly understood without a lot of questions asked.  
"It might be because of our weapons." He said, panting with exertion.

Broggy's eyes lit up with understanding.

"I get it. Elubaba's weapons are made to last a long time, but not for 100 years." He said, and I raised an eyebrow.  
"They've been fighting for 100 years?" I muttered disbelievingly.

"Hey don't hug me so tight. It hurts."  
"I'm so glad you're alive!"

I sat down on the stump, feeling moved by the giant's friendship, and reached out to clutch a corner of Zoro's haramaki.

"Hm?"  
"Don't make me worry so much about you, idiot." I mumbled softly, and he chuckled lightly. He untangled my hand from his haramaki gently as Usopp sniffed.

"It's a miracle..." He said with pride.  
"A miracle? Well, it's possible. But I think it has more to do with those 100 year old weapons and their owners." Zoro said as he leaned forward with a smile on his face.

_You guys are all idiots...but I love you._

* * *

"We want to repay your for saving our lives." Broggy said as we sat around a fire.  
"We completely forgot that we were wanted by the government." Dorry added, and Vivi's face fell.

"Because of me, those people came here..." She mumbled, obviously upset.

I glanced up from where I had practically ripped Zoro's boots off and was busy cleaning, bandaging, and stitching his ankles up.

Nami grabbed the princess's cheek and pulled.

"Don't talk nonesense." She said firmly, and Luffy and Usopp looked up at her.  
"That's right, Vivi. Why are you worried about it?" Usopp asked while Luffy chowed down on...something.

"Do you want some rice crackers?"  
"Where did you get those? Someone is going to be mad."  
"Let's have a rice cracker party!"  
"Hey Nami, can you take off more clothes?"  
"WHY YOU!"  
"Haha! Your eyes are bugging out, Usopp!"  
"Idiot!"  
"AGAIN!"

Zoro sighed, then turned to the giants.

"So it takes a year to set the Log Post?" He asked, and Nami sighed.  
"Yea, that's no joke." She said sadly.

Vivi looked troubled.

"Isn't there anything you can do about that?" She asked the two giants.  
"There's nothing we can do about magnetism." They said.

"NAMI! VIVI! KAI! I'M SO GLAD YOU ARE SAFE!"

I winced as Sanji burst out through the bushes, his arms open wide.

"Hey, Sanji!" Luffy greeted.

Usopp's reaction was a little more violent.

"How dare he! He didn't do anything and now he comes prancing out?"

The cook stopped short as he saw the two giants. "What the...are you Mr. Three?" He asked, and I raised an eyebrow.  
"How do you know about Mr. Three?" Nami asked, and Sanji quickly degenerated into useless babble as he saw her bra.

"Get to the point, Sanji." I growled, and he ceased his noodle dance, calming down.  
"I found their hideout and spoke to Mr. 0 on the den-den. He thinks we're all dead." He said, and I dared to breathe again.  
"He really believes that?" Nami asked cautiously, and Sanji noded.

"Well, that's what I told him." He repeated, and Vivi looked downcast.  
"Well, even though no one is coming to kill us, we still can't leave the island..." She said morosely.

"What are you talking about? You getting attached or something?" Sanji asked as he held up an Eternal Post to Alabasta.

Our jaws dropped collectively.

"THE ETERNAL POST TO ALABASTA?"  
"Oh thank god! I thought we'd have to stay here forever!"  
"We can leave now!"  
"Hey! Let's have a rice cracker party!"  
"Luffy, we only have three left. We can't have a party with that."  
"This isn't the time to party, captain! We need to leave!"

"By the way, you haven't forgotten about our hunting competition, have you?" Sanji asked, and Zoro smirked.  
"I'll win for sure. I got a huge rhinocerous." He said with a smug look, and I laughed.

"Well, it's time to say goodbye then. I wish you both luck!" Luffy said to the giants, who smiled.  
"Right! You must be in a hurry." Said Broggy.

"I hope you manage to save your country." Dorry said to Vivi, who looked touched.  
"Thank you."

We walked back to the ship, and I listened to Zoro and Sanji arguing about who's animal was larger with a smile on my face.

"Can't you see? My dinosaur is bigger."  
"You're the one who's blind, because mine is definitely bigger than yours."  
"You don't need to argue, they both look good anyway." Luffy said intelligently, which earned him a 'SHUT UP' from both parties involved.

I relaxed into the duties of preparing the ship with ease as we began to make our way off of the island known as Little Garden.

With any luck, we would be in Alabasta soon, and maybe I would be able to leave my past behind me.


	18. Chapter 18

For those of you how have read Caesium, I'm going to be editing the first chapter quite heavily. There are some things I need to change about it, but the premise won't change.

Also, regarding reviews. I appreciate and (highly) encourage them as long as they are constructive in some way, or you are simply telling me you enjoy the story. Please keep in mind that this story does not follow the manga or the anime exactly, and that I will change things around as I see fit, due to the fact that this is how I believe the story would have gone had Kai actually been written in. All the main points will remain, but things such as orders of fights, the way certain things are handled, and even character interactions, will change slightly.

As usual, thanks to ichigo1508 (a.k.a Kitten-chan) and Oni Kenpachi for reviewing.

* * *

I sat dangling my legs from the edge of the railing as I watched Zoro train.

We had left Little Garden with a huge sendoff from Dorry and Broggy. Zoro had disappeared for a while after that, and I had tracked him down to the small mini-deck behind the grove, right over the kitchen. I observed him as he swung the heavy weights around like they were nothing. Granted, coming from me that wasn't saying much, but it was still impressive. Not to mention he had ditched his shirt, haramaki, and shoes.

"Shouldn't you be resting your legs?" I asked, feeling worried. He barely even glanced at me as he swung the hefty things around.

"If I could have cut that candle, no one would have been hurt." He said between breaths. I said nothing, watching his muscles bulge and relax, feeling strangely upset.

"I'm still weak. I have to be stronger. I have to be able to cut everything, even iron." He told me, as if it were a mantra. I floundered around in my mind as I tried to come up with something to continue the conversation, and came up short. He did a few more reps before setting his weights down and taking a drink of water.

"I feel like I should say something..but I don't know what." I confessed, looking down at the deck.

Green eyes evaluated me for a moment before the swordsman began walking over. I felt something slightly warm slide down my cheek, and raised a hand to swipe at it. I was honestly surprised when I came away with salt water. "I'm...crying?" I whispered, and realized just how worried I was about this stupid man.

Zoro put a hand on my head, and that was all it took for my self control to break. I lunged forward and hugged him, burying my face in his shoulder. "Don't ever make me so scared again!" I sobbed, and he stiffened for a moment before relaxing. He slowly wrapped his arms around my waist and rocked slightly.

"I'm not going anywhere." He huffed lightly as he rested his cheek on my head.

I clung to him like a lifeline as I cried. I had been scared to death when I had seen him unmoving in the wax, and even more worried when I had seen the copious amounts of blood pouring from his legs. I would take more time later to examine my disorganized thoughts, but right now he was _brushing my hair out of my face and..._

Warm lips touched mine gently, and my mind blanked out. His hand moved around my neck, his thumb resting against my jawline, tilting my head up. I closed my eyes and drank in his scent, spice and steel all mixed together, and my senses slowly returned to me. H_e was...kissing me?_

The light pressure on the small of my back gave me some confidence, and I slowly returned the kiss. I focused on the sensation of his mouth against mine as I leaned into him, and the arm on my waist tightened lightly. After a long moment, he pulled away and placed his forehead on mine, his hands cupping my face as he rubbed my tears away gently.

"I'll get stronger, I promise you. I'm going to become strong enough that you will never have to worry about me again. I'm going to be strong enough to protect you, Luffy, and the whole crew. So trust me." He said with a small smile as my eyes fluttered open. I laughed weakly.

"I'm holding you to that." I teased lightly as I sniffed a bit, and he chuckled, planting a kiss on my forehead. I smiled slowly as he picked up his weights again and started his reps.

_Guess I don't interfere with his goal after all._

* * *

I was wandering back to the front deck when I heard Vivi's frantic yelling.

"NAMI IS REALLY SICK!" She shouted, and I frowned, picking up my pace. I rounded the corner of the grove as I caught sight of Sanji carrying Nami into her room, followed closely by Vivi, Usopp, and Luffy. Vivi caught sight of me and grabbed my hands.

"Can you stay and make sure we keep on course?" She asked, and I blinked, then nodded. "Sure." I said as they tromped inside. I sighed and dropped my head onto the railing with a thunk.

_Ouch._

I instead chose to sit between the slats of the railing next to the tiller so I could direct it with one hand.

"What happened?"

I jerked, startled, as Zoro strode up next to me, fully clothed now. I tried to calm down, though my stomach was doing flips and loop-de-loops. "The others are in there with Nami..she doesn't look very good." I said as he leaned against the railing with a one-handed weight. "So they're having us watch our course?" He asked with a grin at me that I returned. My gaze focused on his lips and I flushed bright red. I gulped and snapped my eyes forward again. "Y-yea." I said, my voice stuttering like a two legged dog.

Damnit Kai! Get it together!

I flushed and fidgeted, casting little glances at Zoro every once in a while as he performed some curls. I was about to say something, ANYTHING, when the door opened and Nami stumbled out, her face flushed. I looked up, concerned, as she smacked Zoro on the shoulder. "What are you doing?" She wheezed.

"Why are you up? Can't you see that we're heading straight?" Zoro said with a frown.  
"Are we heading in the same direction that the compass points to?"  
"It doesn't matter. I can tell by that big cloud over there." The swordsman said as he reached down to ruffle my hair, and our navigator sighed.  
"But that can move and change form! I can't believe this..."  
"I told you to leave it to me!"  
"I'm out here because you aren't dependable."

I heard Nami mumble something, and glanced up at her. "What?" I asked intelligently.  
"Never mind, just call everyone out here." She said, and Zoro leaned over the railing. I raised my eyebrow.

_What was he doing?_

"HEY! GET YOUR BUTTS OUT HERE EVERYONE! WE'RE CHANGING COURSE DUE SOUTH!" He yelled over the railing, and the rest of the crew shot out of the doors.

_Oh._

Sanji glared up at him as he shot out the doors. "I don't feel like working with you calling the shots." He grumbled, and a vein in my head pulsed.  
"Shut up and do it!" I snapped.  
"Take the sail out." Zoro ordered as Usopp ran to the sails, and I jumped over the rail to help with the lines.

"What is it, Nami? The weather is so nice..." Sanji called as the sick woman leaned on the railing.  
"There will be a storm, I think." She said, and Luffy reached out to touch her head. He withdrew said hand quickly as it became swollen and red.

"OUCH! Hot! I think we'd better stop and find you a doctor!" He exclaimed, and Nami shook him off. "Stop talking nonsense. It's just a cold. Get to work and stop worrying about me!" She snapped as I felt the wind change. I snapped around to face the direction the wind was coming from. My eyes widened as I suddenly realized what exactly was coming at us.

_A Grand Line Cyclone._

"I would like to ask you all a favor." I heard Vivi say as I sent a stream of air at the sails to pull us farther away from the cyclone, seeing as how no one else was taking Nami seriously.

"Maybe it's not right to say this since you are all kind enough to bring me back to my country, but it's in great danger now, and I want to go back there as soon as possible. I can't waste even one second. So I would like to ask everyone to head to Alabasta with the fastest speed possible." She said, and I gritted my teeth as I felt the cyclone move closer.

Nami smiled. "That's right! I promised you that we were going to make it!" She said cheerfully, and Vivi took a breath. "So lets start by finding a doctor. Let's cure Nami as soon as possible, then head to Alabasta. Because when we have our navigator is when we're the fastest, right?" She said, and Luffy grinned.

"That's right! Nothing can make this ship move faster than a healthy Nami!" He said proudly.

I reached my arms out to my sides and made a grabbing motion in the air. A strong wind picked up around our sails as Luffy screamed, pointing at the huge cyclone that was tearing past us. "Hang on." I called as I pulled my arms forward toward my body. The wind grew stronger and pulled us out of the way while the others stared at the thing.

"Wait a minute...that direction is..."  
"The direction we were headed to!"  
"We'll be dead if we get close to that thing!"

Vivi gulped. "Let's hurry south and find a doctor!" She exclaimed, and we cheered.

* * *

"Hey!"

Zoro was up in the crow's nest on watch. It was snowing really hard, and I had been forced to put on another jacket to stay warm. Luffy looked up at the swordsman impatiently.

"Did you find a doctor?" He asked, and Usopp rolled his eyes.  
"How can you find a doctor in the middle of the ocean?" He muttered, and I snickered.

"Have you ever seen anyone standing in the middle of the ocean?" Zoro called down to us, sounding rather perturbed.

We down below exchanged glances, and I sneezed. "A person standing in the ocean? Have you gone insane, Zoro?" Usopp called up. The swordman snorted as he raised his binoculars to his eyes again.  
"Then what do you call that?" He asked, and we turned to look out over the water.

Sure enough, there was a strangely dressed man standing on the top of the ocean. I sneezed again, and shivered.  
We all stared.

"It's going to be cold out today, huh?" He greeted.  
Luffy and Usopp nodded.

"That's right." The captain commented.  
"Yea, it's really cold today." Usopp agreed.

The man stared.  
"Oh really?"

_Weren't you the one who said it first?_

Our boat rocked as a submarine ship shot up out of the water, and I stumbled backward into the side of the galley. "Is it...a ship?" Zoro asked in amazement as the thing in front of us opened up like a flower.  
"ARE YOU SURPRISED? THIS IS BRE-KING! THE WAR SUBMARINE!" A voice shouted at us, and I regained my feet as I frowned.

"A pirate ship...this is bad."  
"AWESOME!"  
"Why are they doing this when we're busy?"

The enemies swarmed the ship, and Zoro jumped down from the crows nest as they surrounded us with muskets. "Hey, hey, watch it." I snapped as one pushed a gun in my face. Sanji shot out the doors from below with a yell, then slowed as he found himself surrounded.

"So...what's going on?" He asked, and Luffy looked over his shoulder.  
"We're under attack." was the simple reply, and Sanji rolled his eyes.  
"Really? That's what I thought too, based on what I'm seeing." He said sarcastically.

I frowned as a large dumpy man leaped onto the deck. I grimaced as I realized he was chewing on a knife. "I want to ask you a question!" He exclaimed, and we all exchanged glances.

_Is this guy for real?_

"We want to go to the Drum Empire. Do you have any Eternal Posts?" He asked as he threw the hilt of the dagger into his mouth and chomped down. I stared as I heard grinding noises from his mouth.  
"No. And we have never heard of that place before." Sanji snapped, and Luffy leaned over the railing.

"Since you're done with your buisness, why don't you just leave?" He yelled, and the man sighed.

"Why are you so cruel? If you don't have one, I'll just take all of your treasure! But before I do that..." He opened his mouth VERY wide, and bit down on the side of the Merry. "I'll have a snack." He completed his statement as he ripped a piece of wood off of the side of our ship and started to eat it.

Luffy freaked.

"DON'T EAT OUR SHIP!" He yelled angrily, and men surrounded him, pointing their guns at his face.  
"Don't interrupt Lord Vapolu when he's enjoying a meal!"  
"SHUT UP!"  
"He's going to fight! SHOOT HIM!"

I smirked, looking at the men surrounding me. "Took you long enough." I called to the captain, and Zoro smirked.  
"You should have done this a long time ago, Luffy." He said as he drew his swords.  
"So we can fight now?" Sanji asked excitedly.

I pulled the winds around me and sent the men in my section flying with a brief cyclone. I paused as I saw Luffy stretch his arms out behind his back. I sighed and sneezed again.

_I better not be getting sick._

"GET THE HELL OFF MY SHIP!" Luffy screamed as he sent the man flying. I blinked as I watched the man disappear into the distance, and sneezed again.

Something warm dropped over my head, and I pushed the blanket out of my face as Zoro walked past. "Go downstairs and get some rest before you get sick too." He said calmly, and I flushed.

_Damnit._

_

* * *

_A Few Hours Later...

* * *

I was curled up in my cabin, trying not to be sick. Was it the sudden change in temperature? I couldn't remember feeling like this before. I had gotten a few good hours of sleep before waking with a jerk.

A tap sounded at the door, and I blinked sluggishly. "Yea?" I asked tiredly. A head of green hair peeked into the room, followed by the rest of the swordsman. I smiled briefly as my eyelids drooped. "Hey." I greeted, and he crossed to me.

"How are you feeling?" He asked as he sat on the edge of the bed. I scooted over to make room.  
"Like hell." I groaned and he chuckled lightly.

"We're at an island. The others went on ahead with Nami to the village." He said as he touched my forehead. I sighed, closing my eyes.  
"Why are you still here then?" I asked lightly as I felt pressure on the bed next to me. His arm stretched around me, pulling me flush against his chest.  
"Asked me to guard the ship, since you're still under the weather a bit." He said as I flushed bright red.

"Where did you put your shirt?"

He blinked as he caught sight of my beet red face, then chuckled. "Foot of the bed. You're freezing, so just rest." He ordered as he closed his eyes and pulled the blanket up to my chin.

_Well...might as well. He's so warm..._

I snuggled into him, relaxing as my breathing evened out. "Ne...Zoro?" I asked, my voice muffled by his chest.  
"What's up?" He asked, and I could feel his voice reverberate through his torso.  
"Thanks.." I mumbled. His only response was a murmured, "sleep..." and his arms tightening around me. I let the sound of his heartbeat lull me into blissful relaxation.

Sleep came quickly.

* * *

"You're awake." The voice floated through my consciousness, and I fought the weight in my eyelids.

Black walls, decorated by stripes of gold, surrounded me, and I tossed my head to one side.

_Am I dreaming?_

White hair and gold eyes peered down at me, then blinked and disappeared.

"You are a really difficult patient, you know that?" A voice said chidingly, and I struggled to sit up. "Stay down, before i undo all that fine work i did on you." The person ordered. I fell back against the blankets, and the gold eyes became visible again.

"Where am I?" I heard myself ask as I glanced down. My chest, abdomen, and legs were swathed in white bandages.  
"You're on my ship, obviously. Why does Dragon only send me trouble patients?" the voice grumbled, and I managed to lift my head enough to see the woman talking.

_Yes, I'm dreaming. I haven't seen her in five years._

Mid length white hair, black pants with a flame design around the ankle, and a black jacket. It could only be the Time Witch. But why would I dream about her now?

"You saved my life?" I heard myself ask, confused. The woman crossed to me and pressed me back into the bed.  
"No, I stabbed you in the gut and bandaged you afterward. Of course I saved your life, idiot." She snorted, and I winced as she put pressure on my bandages.

My eyes widened in pain, and she smiled.

"I told you not to move around. That's what you get for not listening to your doctor." She scolded lightly, and I gulped air down.  
"Why?" was all I managed to say, and her eyes narrowed.

"Because I owe Dragon a favor. Now shut the hell up and get better." She snapped, and walked away.

In my sleep, I twitched.


	19. Chapter 19

NOTE: This chapter is rather ironic, considering I've got a cold too.

Also, to give you an idea as to how long this story will last, I've got it planned out past the timeskip. So...yea. And for anyone who's interested, Kai's theme is 'Last One Goes the Hope' by Gogol Bordello.

Thanks to Ketsuko Kyo and Oni Kenpachi for reviewing. The rest of you...review and maybe my cold will get better. (There might even be a secret saturday update.)

* * *

_Cold. Why was it so chilly? I could have sworn..._

Arms reached out for the warm body next to me, only to come up empty.

"Wha..." I mumbled as I reluctantly opened my eyes. The spot on the bed next to me was, sadly, not occupied. I frowned, but then realized that Zoro's padded green jacket was slung over my shoulders. I allowed myself a stupidly happy smile, and wrapped it around myself as I took deep breaths, trying to absorb as much of his scent as possible.

I blinked, crossing my eyes, when I noticed something brushing against my nose.

_Paper?_

A small white note was stuck to the corner of the jacket, and was brushing against my face. I yawned, rubbing my eyes, and plucked the scrap from the coat as I sat up.

_Brrrrrrr._

After sliding my arms through the sleeves of the jacket and zipping it up to my chin, I turned the paper over in my hands. "So...what are you?" I asked it as I focused my eyes.

_"Doing some training..might head into town. Stay warm. - Zoro"_

He had very neat handwriting, I noted, as I tucked the slip of paper into my pocket and slid my feet out of the bed.

_If everyone is out doing something, I feel useless just lying around..._

I wandered up to the deck after pulling my boots on. No sign of the swordsman except for some abandoned weights.

_Maybe he went into town already? Well...moving is better than doing nothing. I might as well make this easy on myself though._

I morphed into a gust of air and swept along the path towards the lights of a town.

* * *

I coalesced in front of the town entrance after I was sure no one was looking. Didn't want to freak anyone out, after all. A few people gave me strange looks as I walked through the streets, but no one really bothered me.

I frowned and shivered as I saw neither hide nor hair of my friends. Blowing on my hands to keep them warm didn't work too well, I noted, as someone tapped me on the shoulder. I glanced behind me to see a woman with a slightly round face and fluffy hair giving me a smile.

"Excuse me, but are you lost? I've never seen you around here before." she said, and I grinned.

"Well..I was actually looking for my crewmates. They were supposed to come this way to look for a doctor for our friend..." I explained as the wind bit through me and I shivered. The woman's eyes widened slightly, and she took my hand.

"Well, lets get you inside! You're freezing to death, dear."

She pulled me to a small house and I followed her in after a moment. "Thank you for this...It really is cold out...Mi...AAAAACHOO!" I put my elbow over my face as I sneezed, and smiled apologetically.  
"Sorry."

She laughed, and dragged me over to the fire while she poured out something dark and warm. "It's Sara. Have some cocoa and warm up." She said kindly, and I accepted the mug gratefully.  
"Be careful, it's hot..." she began to say as I took a sip.

I coughed, but kept my lips pressed together as the scalding liquid filled my mouth. The hand not holding the cup fluttered and clamped over my mouth as my eyes watered. I managed to swallow...somehow.

"Burns..." I whimpered as I bit down on my cold hand to try to cool my mouth off. She gave me a strange look.

"You've never had hot cocoa before?" She asked, curious. I shook my head and blew on the liquid to try to cool it down.  
"Never had the chance." I explained as I took another tentative sip. I blinked as I realized that the drink was very sweet and rich.  
"This is really good!" I exclaimed, and she frowned worriedly at me.

"What kind of mother would not give a child hot cocoa?" She wondered aloud, and probably didn't realize I could hear her.  
"My mom died giving birth to me." I said quietly, staring into the dark liquid as if it would give me some answers.

All I had was my moms name... Zehra Miu. 'Delanoi' was a name giving to me by Crocodile.  
Delanoi Kai...meaning, _'from the dark ocean.'_  
A metaphor for the slave trade.

"I'm so sorry..." The woman murmured, and I quickly looked back up and smiled.

_Shit, I feel bad now. Shouldn't have said anything. Stupid stupid stupid CHANGE THE TOPIC ALREADY!_

"It's not your fault! So have you seen my crew? Like a guy with a straw hat and big grin, or a blond who's always smoking...or a guy with green hair...or a guy with a long nose..." I blurted out.  
"Oh, Long Nose! Yes I saw him. He and his friend with blue hair were heading out to Cocoa Wilds. Apparently the doctor was going to head there next...witch that she is." She muttered this last part, and I almost dropped my drink.

_A woman doctor?_  
_A witch?_  
_Could it be..._

"This doctor...what does she look like?" I asked excitedly. The woman's eyebrows shot up in surprise.  
"Well...She has a very young body...but her face...isn't. She's 140 years old." She said, and my shoulders sagged.  
"Oh." was all I could say.

_So she wasn't **my** doctrine, then._

Our attention was drawn by a commotion outside, however, and she looked out the window. Her face paled, and I rose. "What's the matter?" I asked seriously, and she turned to me.  
"It's Vapolu!" she stammered, and I raised an eyebrow.

Wasn't that the name of the guy who...attacked...our...ship...

_**...Damnit.**_

I strode to the door, and she reached out to hold me back. "What are you doing? You're not well!" She exclaimed, and I smiled.  
"Sorry. But if he's here, then my crew will be in danger." I said as I moved past her easily.

The wind outside was cold, but I felt strangely warmer. Maybe I was getting better?

_...Fat chance._

"Get off this island, Vapolu. This is not where we belong." a large, muscular man was telling the fat little bastard who had eaten our ship. The freak was laughing as he faced off with the man.

"Vapolu? You're supposed to refer to me as 'Your Majesty', my royal servant Dalton." He sneered, and I didn't bat an eyelash.

_So what if he's a king? Sounds like he isn't wanted here._

The villagers crowding the square began yelling insults at the squat ruler.

"Dalton is the only one who fights for this country!"  
"He even risks his life to protect us!"

The metal man laughed. "Why are you still alive then? You should die as leader of Drum Empire's Royal Army. It's a real surprise that any of you have survived without any doctors on the island." He said with a belly laugh that had me disgusted.

_This man is the worst kind of scum._

The man Dalton seemed to share my opinion. "Every empire was impressed the the medical technology of Drum. But how many of them know that all the best doctors were forced out of the country except for the 20 who work in the castle's lab?" He asked. I examined him carefully. His face was calm, but his voice...he sounded enraged.

Tugging on my jacket caught my attention as the woman who had let me into her house yanked on my sleeve. "Come away from there, it's dangerous!" She cried, and I gave her a long look.  
"_I_ am _far_ more dangerous than that **fat metal freak** over there." I said calmly as I turned back around to watch the proceedings.

"There are only 20 doctors left in this country! All the people have to beg you to cure them! Don't call it an objective to take advantage of sick people! IT'S A CRIME!" Dalton was yelling, and I began to push my way forward through the crowd.

"SHUT UP! GET RID OF THIS TRAITOR!" Vapolu yelled, and his men trained guns on the tall man, who began to transform.

_A Devil Fruit._

"Because you are the son of the last king, who I pledged my loyalty to, I had hoped that someday you could change. But it looks like that isn't happening." Dalton snarled as I broke through the crowd.

Vapolu's gunners focused on him. "He's using his Devil Fruit, Bison Make! Shoot him!" They yelled as the imposing figure moved through the snow with ease.

"Even though you used to be my soldiers, I won't forgive you!" He yelled, and charged. Mere seconds later, all the soldiers were down.  
I grinned.

_That guy is strong._

"I don't care anymore. An empire that was abandoned by a coward king shouldn't exist." He snapped angrily, and one of Vapolu's servants suddenly aimed at something to his right, firing three huge bolts. Before I could make a move, Dalton had leaped in front of the three shafts, taking them right through his torso.

"HAHAHAH! THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU DESERVE!" Vapolu laughed maniacally, and my eyes slitted with rage as the fruit user fell to the ground.  
"You..." I snarled, pissed.

An tremor shook the earth, and several people screamed in terror as we saw a huge avalanche racing right at us.

_Protect them._

I ran toward the group around the fallen warrior. "GET IN A GROUP!" I shrieked above the storm, and eyes turned to me.

"What are you talking about?"  
"Who are you?"

"THERE'S NO TIME!" I yelled as I stretched my arms out to the sides. "TRUST ME!"

A wind picked up, swirling through the center of the road. I closed my eyes and concentrated (_which was hard because I was definitely sick now_) and tightened my control.

A tornado ripped upwards in the circle I had defined, strong enough to cut into the snow below. I strained to hold onto it as the avalanche burst around us, and began to fall to my knees with exhaustion. The winds were gaining a life of their own now, becoming harder to control. If I could just _hold on..._

"CATCH HER!" several people yelled, and supporting hands kept me upright as I pushed the twister higher. Several long moments later, the snow stopped piling up and I released the winds, sagging to my knees.

"Damn...insane kid." I heard several people mutter as I panted, dragging air into my lungs greedily.  
"Give her some room! Idiot men..." I heard Sara mutter, and opened my eyes weakly.

"He's safe...right?" I croaked, earning several approving glances from the people gathered around. The motherly woman hugged me, and I coughed painfully.  
"Yes...he's fine. You did well." She soothed, and I closed my eyes for what seemed like a few moments.

* * *

A shadow fell across my face.

Several muskets were pointed down at us, and I opened my eyes to glare at the men between us and the rest of the villagers.  
"You won't be able to interfere anymore! Dalton will die!" the soldiers who were menacing us said, grinning.

"What's going on?" I heard a familiar voice say, and turned my head to look at the speaker.  
"Zoro?" I mumbled, my eyes dragging over him. Vivi and Usopp stood next to him, but...

_Why...was he only wearing pants? **And nothing else?**_

"Your crew, dearie?" The woman asked softly, and I nodded, dumbstruck.

"Let us through!"  
"Just get out of here! Dalton is dead!"  
"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! DIDN'T YOU WORK UNDER HIM?"  
"Dalton? We only work for Lord Vapolu! Whoever tries to defy our king must die!"

"I remember them...they're the people who attacked us, right?" Zoro asked, shivering with cold.  
"Yes." was the simple reply.  
"So..they are definitely our enemies, and not our friends." He restated, and Usopp gave him a funny look.  
"Yea...but why are you asking?"

"IF ANYONE HAS A PROBLEM, JUST COME AND GET A PIECE OF US IF YOU DARE!" yelled a soldier.

Zoro leaped, backhanding the man into oblivion with impressive force. He stripped him quickly and pulled on his warm winter clothes. "Aaaaaa! So warm!" He exclaimed happily.

"ZORO!" I yelled before I realized it. The swordsman's eyes shot up to meet mine as one of the soldiers rammed the butt of his musket into my temple. I spun with the impact, hitting the ground as dizziness and exhaustion overtook me.

There was silence, and then a very quiet, enraged voice spoke up.

**"What kind of fools _are_ you."**

I blacked out.

* * *

"Hey, wake up."

_Zoro?_

My eyelids felt like they were being sat on by elephants. Or something like that. I struggled to get them open, rather clinically noting that my body felt like a limp noodle.

"C'mon...damnit." He was sounding frustrated and worried now. I managed to crack my eyes...and my world spun. I saw only green and blue, and managed to get my arm to flop to the side.

_Damn this was tough._

"Zo...ro..Vivi?" I heard myself croak as my vision started to focus.

The side of my head felt warm, a slight trickling sensation, and my left side was warm. I realized I was leaning against the swordsman, my body tucked in towards his, if the arm circling my waist was any indication.

"She's coming around." I heard Vivi say as I was re-adjusted. My vision tightened and I slowly made out Vivi dabbing at the side of my temple with a wet rag.

I tried to straighten, willing my limbs to stay under some semblance of control. The swordsman sighed, and stood, pulling me up with him. My knees buckled, and he quickly wrapped his arms around my waist to keep me from falling. I blushed as I was forced to grab onto his biceps to steady myself, and dropped my head down on his shoulder lightly.

_I should apologize._

"Sorry...I just couldn't wait around while everyone else was doing something useful..." I murmured as I tried to get my legs under me. I squeezed my eyes shut, preparing for the rebuke that never came.

"It's ok." he said quietly after a few moments, and I released a breath I hadn't been aware I was holding. I gathered my wits, pushing away from him with a shy smile of gratitude, which he returned with a relieved one of his own.

_We're fine. And thank god he's not pissed at me.  
Hell, **I'd **be pissed at me._

"Dalton is still alive, we can take care of him." I heard voices say, and turned my head, no don't be dizzy! to look at the newcomers.

A line of doctors in lab coats were moving towards the downed man, and Zoro raised an eyebrow.  
"I thought that there were no more doctors in this town." He said, suspicion written across his features.

"Aren't they the doctors that ran away with Vapolu? I thought they were evil.." Usopp commented, and the villagers chimed in.

The doctors removed their masks and I shivered lightly, still feeling cold despite the warm jacket.

"We served Vapolu because we were afraid of him, but we're still doctors. We always do medical research to help this country's people. We learned from one fake doctor that we shouldn't give up so easily. We won't loose to that crazy man anymore." they said firmly as they got to work on the injured guard.

We moved away towards a bridge, and I saw Zoro lean down to grab something out of the corner of my eye. His hand found my arm, and he pulled me to a stop gently. I turned to face him, curious, and something warm settled around my neck.

He wrapped the long scarf around me several times while I stood shifting my weight from one foot to another. I cautiously looked him in the eyes, and found him studying me with a serious expression.

_He was still worried._

"I didn't mean to worry you.." I apologized lamely, and he let out a breath as he allowed himself a small smile.  
"I would have done the same thing, in your shoes." He said, his humor returning as he stepped around me to lean against a pile of crates.

Vivi faced us, her eyes determined. "Lets go to the top of the mountain. I can't just stay here after that avalanche. Besides Vapolu and his crew are heading there, and we don't even know if the doctor is at the castle or not." She said, and I felt confused for a moment before deciding that it was unimportant.

"And you're worried about Dalton and Alabasta, too, right? Calm down, Vivi. You worry too much." Usopp said sternly, and Vivi looked at him like she was seeing him sprout five heads.  
"Luffy and Sanji will take good care of Nami. They shouldn't have any problems. I trust them." the longnosed man said as he leaned against the rail with an air of casual indifference.  
Vivi shut her eyes and breathed, then reopened them. "Thank you, Usopp. I..."

"Actually, you're just scared to climb the mountain, right?" cut in Zoro, poking Usopp in the forehead with a finger.  
"OF COURSE! THERE ARE SNOW MONSTERS AND GIANT FLESH EATING RABBITS ON TOP OF THAT MOUNTAIN!"  
"Next time, just tell the truth, ok?"  
"Those guys will be fine anyway. What's wrong with being scared? IT'S REALLY SCARY UP THERE!"

I started laughing at two as we were startled by a yell coming from the villagers.

"Dalton, stop!"  
"Get out of my way! This is the only chance to fight them! IF WE DON'T FIGHT THEM NOW, THIS COUNTRY WILL NEVER RECOVER!" The Fruit user bellowed.  
"But you're hurt."  
"Besides, we are too weak to fight him!"

Dalton's face was set in a grimace, but his eyes were deadly serious.

"I will fight them with everything I've got, even if I have to risk my life, even if I have to cheat!" He said, his voice strong.  
I gave him an appraising look, tempered by a small sneeze.

I pulled the scarf higher around my neck.

Usopp bent to one knee in front of the huge guard, his expression solemn.  
"Get on. I will carry you to the castle." He said.

I rolled my eyes as he tried to carry off the very heavy man, who grunted.  
"You...can't carry me." He deadpanned.

"WHO SAYS! I CAN DO IT!" Usopp defended himself. "You want to fight for this empire, right? Trust me! I won't let you down!" He exclaimed as he struggled off into the snow. I laughed at the sight while Zoro cradled his head in his hand, probably to stave off the oncoming headache and to block out the sight.

"He's really crazy..." He muttered as he stalked over to the pair and lifted the much larger man easily, using one arm.  
"You want to go to the top of the mountain, right?" He asked, and I felt a little flutter in my stomach as I watched him go.

Usopp was less appreciative of the display.

"Zoro...you're so stupid!" He exclaimed, kicking at the swordsman's legs.  
"Ouch! What are you doing? That hurts!"  
"How dare you steal all the attention! I'll show them my power!" Usopp snapped as he strode off, and Zoro just tilted his head as if he was trying to calm a small child.  
"Alright. I understand you..." He muttered as Vivi and I exchanged amused glances. We walked after the two, but a voice from behind us stopped us dead in our tracks.

"Wait. If you really want to go up there, give us 30 minutes and we'll fix up a lift for you. It'll be a lot faster that way." One of the men said.  
"Are you out of your mind? We don't have any rope that connects to the top of the mountain." said another.  
"Actually, we just found one tied near Gyasta." was the indignant retort.

I was officially confused.

"Gyasta?" I asked, sniffling a bit.  
"The last town that Dr. Kureha visited." Vivi explained.

I sneezed again.

"We'll get a sleigh ready for you." Said one of the men as the woman who had helped me pushed her way through the crowd with four large thermos-fulls of...  
"Cocoa?" I asked, and she gave me a large smile.

"You protected Dalton even though you're sick, deary. Let me mother you a bit." She said as she handed us the drinks  
I smiled at her. "Thanks."

The villagers brought a sleigh around and Zoro loaded Dalton into it while I climbed in. I collapsed into the bed of our ride, and tiredly pushed myself into a sitting position. I shivered slightly and took a drink from the thermos. The warm liquid hit my stomach and I sighed, gripping the mug in both hands to try to keep my fingers warm.

Vivi and Usopp clambered in after me, finding their respective seats, while Zoro slid down next to me.

"Hand me that blanket." He said, pointing at a brightly colored thing in the corner of the sleigh. Vivi handed it over to him gracefully as she sipped her cocoa, watching intently as he placed his drink between his knees. After getting a firm grip on it, he slid the blanket over my legs and tucked it around my waist while I flushed.

"That's warmer, right?" He said calmly as he leaned back, his arm brushing against mine as he did so.

"Y-yea. Thanks." I stuttered, finishing my drink quickly and plunged my hands under the quickly warming blanket to pull it up around my neck. Vivi and Usopp were engaged in their own little conversation as I leaned in towards Zoro's warmth. He glanced down at my head resting on his shoulder with a small smirk.

"Tired?"  
"A little."

He pulled off his gloves as I closed my eyes, lulled by the warmth of his body heat and from the warm blanket.

A touch, light like a butterfly, brushed against the hand hidden under the blanket before his fingers slipped through mine. I felt my face heat up, and quickly glanced up at him in time to see a faint burst of color flit across his cheekbones.

"Sleep for a bit then. It's going to be half an hour anyway." He said softly as his thumb made little circular motions on the skin on the back of my hand.

_That's...really relaxing..._

I heard Dalton chuckle lightly as I drifted off.

"You've got it bad, kid."  
"Shut up."


	20. Chapter 20

**NOTE:** Painting the fourth wall is fun.

A lot of fun.

Thanks to totaalt, ichigo1508, Oni Kenpachi, animelovercillas and Ketsuko Kyo for reviewing! The rest of you...review? It's nice to hear what people think.

* * *

"Would you just stay still?"

I had been in Doctrine Nimue's care for a week and was going crazy.

_Damn she's fast!_

"Why, so you can pump me full of needles again?" I yelled over my shoulder as I dodged around a corner. A scalpel buried itself into the wood by my ear, and I fell to the ground with a yelp.

"You idiot! Your injuries are very serious, and you go charging around my ship like maddened bull! You trying to kill yourself?" The angry woman scolded as she stormed out of the gloomy corridor towards me.

I tried to stand, but my vision blurred as pain shot through my chest, and I fell to the side. I pried my eyes open in time to see her black boots come to a halt in front of my face. I looked up to see the irate doctor glaring down at me. She leaned down and hauled me to my feet before tossing me over her shoulder.

"Really. Do you want to become a cripple? You won't be able to run very far from slavers with an injury like that." She snapped as she carried me back to the infirmary.  
"I don't trust doctors." I hissed as she kicked the door to the room open, hard enough to splinter the wood and leave a dent in the wall where it had struck.

"I'm aware of that." She said dryly as she set me down on the bed. I glared at her as she pulled my shirt up my torso to check on the bandages. Her eyes narrowed as she caught the look, and pushed me back against the mattress.

"Don't give me that look. I know the kind of medical treatment gladiators are given, and believe me, nothing boils my blood more. I am fully aware you don't trust me, and if I was in your position, I wouldn't either. But you are my patient, and you will leave here either healed, or dead. If you try to leave before you are fixed up, how long do you think you'll last, huh?" She said simply as she replaced the bandages.

I lay back and let her do her thing, since she would just snap at me if I did anything else. And I hated to admit it, but she did have a point.

_I wouldn't last an hour like this._

"You...have a point." I admitted begrudgingly, and was awarded with a smug look.

"The doctor is always right." She said cheerfully as she pulled the bandages tight. I winced lightly as she patted my head. "I'll give you something to read if you like, but you should get some rest. Your body is worn out from running around." She said calmly as she settled into a comfortable looking chair.

Well...my eyes did feel heavy.

_Maybe a few hours of sleep wouldn't be so bad..._

* * *

I woke slowly to the sensation of swaying gently and warmth.

"Is she still sleeping?"  
"Yea..." the voice vibrated against my head, and someone touched my head lightly.

"That was a nasty blow she took to the head."  
"You don't have to remind me."

A pause.

"It was nice of you to carry her into the lift."  
"She needs sleep, and I didn't want to wake her."

I lifted a hand and rubbed the sleepyseeds out of my eyes. I found myself staring at Vivi, and jerked my head back lightly. She smiled.  
"You look comfortable." she said.

_What?_

It was then that I registered the warmth spreading across my back and around the sides of my arms. I looked down at the arms wrapped around me and blushed.  
"Well, I couldn't let her fall, now could I?" Zoro said from behind me, and I leaned back against him. I swear he's a human heater.

"I suppose not, Mr. Swordsman." She said with a slight giggle, and turned away to talk with someone.

I looked around as I tried not to notice Zoro's warm breath tickling my ear. We were on a platform with raised sides that was being lifted with a pulley system. Dalton was sitting a few feet away, and there were a lot of villagers on the lift. Some of them were giving Zoro and I little smiles, and I flushed, pulling my scarf up over my mouth.

"Still cold?" Zoro's voice said in my ear, and I fidgeted a bit before nodding.  
"Just a tiny bit." I said, pulling the scarf up higher over my nose and sniffled. "Mainly my nose."

He chuckled a little at that, and I could feel the reverberations through my back. I tilted my head back to rest on his collarbone as I pulled my (read: his) jacket farther up around my neck. He reached up and took my un-gloved hands in his much larger ones to warm them.

"Hmm. We should have gotten you gloves back at the town." He murmured as he pulled me a bit closer, and my breath hitched a bit. He noticed this apparently, since he leaned his head against mine.  
"Do I really make you that nervous?" He breathed into my ear, and my mind blanked.

"Y-yes, but in a good way? I'm not..used to this kind of attention." I stammered quietly, and he let out a low laugh.  
"Me too." was his reply, and I twisted to look at him in shock.

"Seriously? I was expecting you to have a fanbase that followed you around and documented your every move!" I said, my nervousness giving way to surprise.  
"What the hell are you talking about?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and confused glance.

_Does he seriously not know...?_

"I...you're..really handsome." I said with a stutter as I turned bright red and looked away.  
"Oh really?" He said, a smirk evident in his voice as his arms tightened around me.  
"If I say more, you'll get a big head." I teased a bit as I got comfortable again. He chuckled and leaned back to look behind us.

"What a nice view.." He murmured, and I closed my eyes, relaxing.

The peaceful feeling didn't last long.

"I will end this painful tragedy!" I heard Dalton exclaim, and I leaned to one side to try to see him. Zoro's arm tensed slightly, giving me solid support until I gave up on seeing past the gaggle of people and relaxed back against him.

"What is history? What is government? What's wrong with giving your heart to the country?" Dalton asked, and I saw him move a bit as he stood up slightly.

Vivi's shocked gasp cued me off to something bigger happening though, as did Zoro's sudden change in posture as he sat up a bit straighter.  
"Listen up. When we get to the castle, I want everyone to stand back." I heard Dalton say, while the villagers let out surprised shouts.  
"Dynamite?"

_What? He's got dynamite?_

"HEY! Look! Someone is at the top of the castle!"

_Well **that** was an abrupt shift in attention._

I put my hands on Zoro's legs don't pay attention to how strong they are and pushed myself to a standing position to look at where the others were pointing. Zoro got to his feet as I caught sight of a person flying off the roof of the castle.

"What do you think that was?" I asked him as he moved to stand behind me.  
"I have no idea."

* * *

We reached the top of the lift, and Zoro and Usopp got out first, followed by us girls.

"I'll go look at the situation first. Everyone just wait here." Usopp said bravely, and Zoro rolled his eyes as he followed the sniper up the stairs. Vivi and I giggled and followed a bit behind.

By the time we had reached the top of the stairs, Usopp was shaking in his shoes.

"Hey, would you stop pushing me?" Zoro complained to him.  
"I'm just trying to support you!"  
"If you're scared, you can't. Just wait here with the villagers."  
"WHO SAYS I'M SCARED? THERE'S NO WAY I'M SCARED!"

The two stepped out into the snow as Vivi and I hung back in the doorway.  
This turned out to be a smart move.

"YAAAAAHHHHH!"

We looked up as Luffy came hurtling down like a rocket from the top of the castle.

"What the hell?"  
"Oh! Zoro! Usopp!"  
_"LUFFY!"_

Our captain smashed into the two, creating a small white explosion as they crashed into the snow. Zoro was the first one to recover.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" He screamed at Luffy angrily, and I started to laugh.  
"I thought you were one of them, cuz you're wearing their clothes. So you came up here to see us? But...I thought Usopp didn't know how to hike." Luffy said, both brushing off the swordsman, asking a question, and making a statement of fact all in one breath. Vivi was the one to answer him.

"We used a lift to get here. Are Sanji and Nami ok?" She asked, and Luffy grinned.  
"Yea, they're fine."  
"That's good to hear."

Zoro sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "What were you doing at the top of the castle anyway?" He asked, sounding slightly peeved.  
"Oh! I was chasing that stupid king away." Luffy said as Dalton joined us.

"So that thing that flew away was Vapolu? What about the two that were with him?" He asked, and Luffy waved his hand dismissively.  
"The reindeer already took care of them. Hey guys! We have a new crew member!" the captain said to us abruptly.  
"Reindeer?" Dalton muttered, and looked into the treeline. I followed his gaze, and saw the most adorable thing ever.

A little reindeer with a pink hat and a blue nose was staring at us as he clung to a tree. My eyes widened.

_So...cute!_

Dalton knelt down on the ground. "Thank you very much for all your help. I'm sure that Drum will become a better empire now." he said as the villagers joined us.  
Several of them caught sight of the reindeer and freaked.

"AAH!"  
"WHAT IS THAT?"  
"WEIRD CREATURE!"  
"IS IT A MONSTER?"

"No! Don't hurt him!" Dalton yelled, and Usopp's eyes bugged out.  
"Devil!"

The little reindeer ran away, and Luffy smacked the sniper in the head.

"You IDIOT! He's the new crewman I talked about!"  
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?"  
"You made him run away!"

Luffy ran after the diminutive animal, and the rest of us were greeted by a woman who was...surprisingly young looking. Except for her face.

_Good God. That is DEFINITELY not Doctrine Nimue._

"Doctor Kureha!" The villagers called out to her as she jabbed her thumb over her shoulder.  
"Is everyone ok? Take all the sick people inside. And that means everyone." She said with an authoritative look.  
My eyebrow twitched and I turned to walk away, but smacked into Zoro's chest instead.

"Where did you think you were going?" He asked calmly, and I glared weakly before sneezing again. He gave me a pointed look, and I slumped.  
"Nowhere, apparently." I grumped as I moved into the castle.  
"Damn straight."

* * *

Dr. Kureha and I were having a battle of wills.

She had taken one look at me and dragged me off to a bed while she poked and prodded my ribs and stomach.

"Would you quit it! I just have a cold!" I snapped as I pushed her hands away. She gripped my wrists and glared at me.  
"Are you a doctor?" She snipped, and I glowered.  
"I don't trust doctors." I hissed as her eyes lowered to where my jacket and shirt had fallen over my shoulder.

She followed the line of the scars down to where my shirt was riding up my stomach and down past the side of my hip. She released my wrists to poke at it.

"This would be the reason for that?" She asked, and I twitched away.  
"I was a gladiator." was my angry response as she turned away and poured some medicine onto a spoon.  
"A gladiator, huh? No wonder your body is abnormal." She said as she spun, jamming the spoon into my mouth as I opened my mouth to retort.

"MMMMPPHHHH!"

She smiled, her work done, and turned to the others as I glared at her retreating back.

_Your body is the abnormal one..._

"Your condition is getting worse because you were moving around too much." She scolded as she took a swig of plum sake. "By the way, Dalton." She said abruptly. "Do you know where the key to the weapons room is?" She asked with a little smile.

Dalton looked confused. "Why...do you need it?"

Kureha just smiled archly and took a drink of her sake. "It's none of your business." She said, and Dalton seemed to consider for a moment.  
"Vapolu always kept that key on him. I think it flew away with him." he said slowly, and Kureha looked irritated.

"Really? That's bad."

Nami perked up at this. "Doctrine. I'm not going to pay you for treating us, so how about just letting us go and continue on our travels?" She said with a wink and Kureha glared at her.

"You kidding me? I'm going to take all of your treasure for medical expenses and you're going to stay here for two more days." She said with an air of finality.

Vivi frowned at Nami as I looked on.

"Nami, you should stay here and get cured!"  
"But I'm fine now, really! I'm not lying, I don't want to die or anything. And besides..." She produced a key on a ring and swung it around a few times. "...you really need this weapons room key?" She asked slyly, and I found myself in awe.

_You go girl!_

"How did you get that key?" Dalton stuttered, while Kureha looked skeptical.  
"Is that really the one?"  
"I'm not lying." was Nami's response.

Kureha leaned in close and glared. "You're really brave, using that to negotiate with me. You're not a nice girl after all." She said as she snatched the key away. "Fine. I'll take this for medical expenses. But as a doctor, I still can't let you leave." she said as she walked away, and Nami looked outraged.

"Wait! Give me back the key then!" She exclaimed, and the doctor turned around and pointed at her.

"Listen up. I'm going to go do something downstairs, and I'm going to leave this door open. In that closet are some of my jackets. When I come back, no one will be here. Besides, I've already cured that stupid blond kid. Don't even think of running away." She said with a grin, and dragged the villagers outside with her.

"It sounds to me like she wants us to take Sanji, use her coats, and get out of here." Nami said, and I nodded.

"I agree."

* * *

We grabbed some jackets and I tossed one on Sanji before hefting him over one shoulder as we walked out of the castle.

"I want to thank you..." I heard a small voice say, and looked over to see the little reindeer standing by the treeline.

"Chopper..." I heard Nami say softly.

"But I'm a reindeer! I have hooves and horns and a blue nose! Actually...I want to be a pirate too! But I'm not a human! I'M A MONSTER! I CAN'T BE FRIENDS WITH HUMANS! THAT'S WHY I CAME HERE JUST TO THANK YOU!" He cried, and my heart went out to him.

"Thank you for asking me..but I will stay here. If you are bored, you can come visit me sometimes..." He said, and Luffy threw his arms into the air.

"JUST SHUT UP AND COME WITH US!"

The reindeer sniffled as I walked over to Zoro, who put his head in his hand as he looked at Luffy. "What a noisy person..." He mumbled, and I laughed a bit.

"OK!"

* * *

We were waiting for the reindeer when I had a brilliant idea.

_That would be TOO funny._

I started snickering as Zoro glanced over at me.

"What are you laughi...MMFPH!"

He fell over backward, mouth full of snowball, and I started laughing as he picked himself up and dusted the snow off of himself with a decidedly dangerous smirk.

"Oh, that's how you want to play, huh?" He said, and we started chucking snowballs at one another, while Usopp and Luffy went to prepare the lift. I grinned and laughed as he tried to duck and throw snowballs at the same time, a huge grin on his features.

_I think I like winter islands._

Eventually, I collapsed, still laughing and smiling like an idiot, and he sat down next to me. Nami and Vivi were looking after Sanji, and we started to hear strange noises from the castle.

"What is going on in there?" Zoro panted, his face flushed with exertion and the chill air. I found myself staring at his lips, parted slightly, huffing little clouds of steam as he breathed. My face grew warm as I remembered _pressure on my lips, the feel of his hand, the tickle of his breath against my cheek..._

"Why can't they just have a quiet goodbye? We're already late." Nami snipped as we heard a rumbling from inside the castle. I snapped out of my trance and sat up as the reindeer charged out of the castle, a sleigh on his back.

"Oh! Here he comes." Zoro said, perking up.  
"What's going on?" Nami asked.  
"I'm being chased." was the response, and my eyes widened. Luffy and Usopp chose that moment to join us, and Chopper ran us down.

"EVERYONE HOP ON! WE'RE GOING DOWN NOW!" He yelled, and we caught sight of Kureha chasing him, throwing knives with reckless abandon.  
"WHAT THE HELL?"

We all dashed towards the sled, Luffy dragging Sanji along. I found myself swept up by Zoro, who leaped into the sled with ease, and we took off over the side of the mountain as we all collapsed into the bed of the sleigh.

The ride down was fun as well, as we oohed and aahed at the scenery. Luffy almost fell out, but was caught by Usopp, who tripped over Sanji's prone body. Zoro managed to catch Usopp by the ankle, dragging them both back into the sleigh. We hit the ground in a flurry of snowflakes, and I laughed.

"THAT WAS SO COOL! CAN WE DO IT AGAIN?"  
"ARE YOU NUTS?"  
"We have to go now."  
"I thought I was gonna die..."  
"HEY, WHERE AM I!"  
"Oh, you're conscious now."

We rolled to a halt, and all slowly got off the sled.

The sky was beautiful, the color of midnight blue crushed velvet and scattered with tiny pricks of light. And even more impressive was the large pink burst above the castle. It was if a large sakura tree had suddenly bloomed above the mountain. The moonlight bled through the burst of color, turning to a translucent purple at the tips of the explosion.

"It's beautiful..." I murmured softly as I drank in the sight.  
"That's so cool!"  
"Yea.."

Chopper began to sniffle, and started crying at the sight. We all smiled at him.

_Welcome to the crew, little guy._

_

* * *

_**footnote:  
**This. Just this.

**Zoro:** "NO-SWORD STYLE: BIG FUCKING SNOWBALL!"  
**Kai:** "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? YOU'RE INSANE!"


	21. Chapter 21

**NOTE**: Ok, so I re-worked all the previous chapters. I promise I won't move anything around like that again.

As a peace offering for doing this, I'm going to post this chapter early for you all.  
When you read this one, keep in mind everything that has happened to Kai. Everything.

Thanks go to Ichigo1508, Ketsuko Kyo, Oni Kenpachi, and whitewhite for reviewing. The rest of you...c'mon you know you want to.

* * *

"HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

"A full moon and Sakura blossom!" Usopp exclaimed while laughing at Luffy. Our captain had stuffed two chopsticks up his nose and was dancing around like an idiot, eliciting a huge round of laughter from the rest of the crew.

"It's a great night!" I exclaimed happily, sandwiched between Zoro and Sanji as the three of us put a sizeable dent in our alcohol supply. The swordsman gave me a sly look that sent shivers down my spine as he topped off my glass.

_Damnit! Using your good looks to your advantage like that..._

"CHOPPER! HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO SIT THERE!" I yelled at the reindeer in an attempt to ignore the butterflies in my stomach that kicked up every time I brushed against the green haired man. Which was happening a lot tonight.

"Let's drink together!" Usopp cajoled the little reindeer, and Zoro grinned, pouring some more drink for Sanji.  
"That's right! We need to get _drunk_ tonight!" He exclaimed with fervor.

"It's a very beautiful night. I never would have thought I would see a sakura bloom in winter." Sanji said with a little happy sigh.

"Can you just keep it down! Look at this!"  
Vivi was cuddling Carue, who was shivering and freezing. Luffy blinked, chopsticks still in his nose.

"It's ok that he's alive?"

The duck quaked a few times while Zoro grinned cheerfully.  
"Maybe he just accidentally fell into the water! What an idiot!" He chuckled as I reached across him for another drink, feeling pleasantly drunk now.

"He said he saw Zoro jump into the water and disappear. He thought Zoro was in danger and jumped in to save him, but became an icicle instead." Chopper stated, and Nami punched Zoro in the head.  
"It IS all your fault!" She yelled, and he rubbed the back of his head with a small frown.

I giggled as I took another drink, and blushed when he grinned at me.

"Oi..you two..." Sanji started to say, and we both looked at him curiously. He twitched and drank his mug in one go.  
"Nevermind." He muttered, and I smiled happily.

"What is it Sanji?" I asked serenely, and he looked...perturbed.  
"It was nothing, lovely flower." he said, waving it off and refilling his glass. I tilted my head to the side.

**Ggg**ggr_RRRRAAAAg_gg**ghhhhh**

I flushed, mortified, as I realized that the unholy grumbling sound was my stomach. Zoro gave me an amused look before turning to Sanji.

"Hey, how about some more food?" He asked, and Sanji glared at him.  
"I don't take orders from you!"

They started fighting, and I laughed as we all raised our mugs and cheered for our new crew member, Chopper.

* * *

"So, your name is Kai, huh."

I stared up at the tall man. He was...scary, I decided, in my five year old mind. With a golden hook on his arm and a jagged scar across his face, he looked every inch a boogyman to me. But I kept such thoughts to myself, trusting Nana and Unca's whispered instructions that had been thrust at me before going on auction.

"Yes, master." I responded as politely as possible, keeping my eyes trained on his shoes. Slaves weren't allowed to look their masters in the eye.

Paper rustled lightly.

"How old are you?"  
"Five, master."  
"Awfully young..."

I stiffened.

If he kept me, I wouldn't go back to the slave pens. If he kept me, I wouldn't be made to go to that scary doctor.

_I couldn't let him throw me away!_

"I'm young, but I'm strong! I'll work hard, I promise!" I blurted out before slapping my hands over my mouth, panicking. The man only chuckled.  
"I'm sure you will."

I shuffled my feet a bit, then stilled as I remembered Nana had told me not to fidget.

"So do you have a last name?"

I dared to glance up at him. His face was buried in a newspaper, but he seemed to notice me looking, because he glanced over. I dropped my eyes the instant the papers moved.

"Yes, Does master want to know it?" I asked cautiously. Sometimes slaves were allowed to keep their names, but sometimes the masters wanted to re-name them. I wondered which type this master would be.  
"Not interested. How does 'Delanoi' sound?"

I rolled it over my tongue a few times, crossing my eyes as I tried to form the word. Deela...Delah...

"Deh - lah - noh - ee." The man sounded out for me, and I tried again, grinning as I got it.

Delanoi.

_It sounded pretty!_

"It sounds good, master." I said, trying to hide my excitement at having such a pretty last name now.

"Call me either Crocodile or Sir." He ordered, and I nodded.  
"Yes, sir."

"You know you have a really unique power, right?" Crocodile asked as he folded his newspaper.

I nodded. The slave master had made me eat something yucky, and I had been sold off afterwards. He had said something about it being a special fruit that would make me more expensive, but all I knew was that it had tasted awful.

"Do you know what it was?"

I dared another glance upwards, and noted that his paper was lying across his lap, and he was no longer reading it. I kept my eyes trained on his arm.

"No, sir." was my simply reply.

"Typical. You ate a Devil Fruit. It's something that grants special powers in exchange for never being able to swim." He explained, and I blinked. I couldn't swim anymore?  
"You have the power to turn into air."

My eyes widened. I could turn into air? I could disappear?_ I didn't want to disappear!_

"I'll start teaching you how to control it tomorrow." my new master said as he leaned back in his chair.

I looked up at him with something akin to adoration.

_He was going to teach me how to not disappear?_

I was lucky to have such a nice master!

* * *

I woke up and was instantly, violently, sick to my stomach.

I barely made it to the trashcan before my stomach emptied its contents painfully, and I could do nothing more than prop myself up on the wall and floor and let my body do its thing. Squeezing my eyes shut as my frame began to shake with the force of my heaving, I gripped the can with both hands, trying not to fall over.

I had been so stupid back then.

_So fucking naive. _

The training program he gave me was simple. Survive...or die. It was a real accomplishment, surviving what I did at a mere five years old. The first session he had, he had gone all out against me, and I had only barely avoided death by using my powers at the last possible second. It had been so jarring, to see the hook go through my little body, even if it didn't touch anything, not really. The thought brought on another round of dry heaving, and my head began to throb.

I was shaking, taking deep shuddering breaths when the door opened and someone rushed over to me.

"Kai, are you ok?" I heard Vivi ask, and I made a weak pushing motion in the air with one hand. A blanket draped itself over my shoulders, and hands pulled my hair out of my face. A light cooing noise started, and as my heaving stopped, she dabbed at my lips with a napkin.

"Haa...haa...sorry..." I gasped out as I spat, trying to get the taste out of my mouth. Vivi tossed the napkin into can and levered me to my feet.

"Do you need to go see Chopper?" She asked, worriedly, and I laughed weakly.

_This isn't somehting he can help with._

"This isn't...he wouldn't..." I mumbled, and Vivi just looked confused.  
"Nightmare. I need air.."

She was by my side in an instant, and helped me up to the deck. We got settled, her sitting against the rail, and I lay down with my head in her lap.

"What was your nightmare about?" She asked softly as she dragged her fingers along my scalp. I sighed and relaxed into the touch. The night air soothed my nerves, and I was lulled by the sound of the ropes and sails snapping.

"When I was sold." was my simple reply.

A moment rested there in the wind, and we embraced the silence for a moment.

"Aren't you scared of going back?"  
"Fucking_ terrified_."

She hummed a bit, and I bit my lip.

"Hey...why don't you hate me?"

Her fingers stilled, and she leaned over to look at me with a strange expression. I held her gaze for a moment before sliding my eyes away.

"I mean, I got close to you to kill you. I'm the reason Crocodile was able to worm his way into your country. I don't get why..."  
"Because you didn't. In the end, even though you had your own reasons, you protected me."

I stared up at her as she smiled a bit.

"I can't really hate you for the things you went though. I can't even imagine how painful it must have been." She murmured, and I closed my eyes.

"You're always so strong for other people."

My eyes snapped open, and I tilted my head to look at her.  
"You are too, princess." was my slightly miffed reply, and she laughed a bit as her fingers kept moving through my hair.

"Sometimes...I think people forget you can be fragile too." She murmured, and I opened my eyes to stare at the sky.  
"I'm not broken or anything..." I retorted weakly, sitting up straight.

"You're not, but people always depend on you so much. Who do_ you_ have to rely on though?" She asked quietly.

A light cough drew our attention, and Zoro sat next to us, flushing lightly.

"She has me. And it's my turn for watch, by the way." He said as we girls both turned bright red.

Vivi stood to leave, stammering something, and I caught her wrist gently.  
"Hey...thanks." I said, and her smile lit up the night.  
"It was nothing."

She went downstairs, leaving me with Zoro out on the deck.

"I, uh, didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I didn't see you two at first..." He muttered, and I looked up at him. His eyes roved over my face, and he leaned forward.  
"You alright?"

I closed my eyes and took a shaky breath.  
"Not really, but I will be." I said honestly.

"C'mere."

I opened my eyes to see him holding out one arm, inviting me to come sit next to him. I blushed before scooting over and leaning in, accepting the offer gratefully. I twisted my arms around his waist and leaned my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. His arm wrapped around my waist, and his head rested on mine.

We stayed like that for his entire watch.


	22. Chapter 22

**NOTE:** For some reason, I had the hardest time getting this chapter started. Anyway, this one is kinda short, since the next one is going to take a bit more time. Hope you don't mind.  
Anyway, for those of you who don't access my profile page (I mention updates and things there), I have decided to put Caesium on hiatus until I finish galestorm. It's a little jarring to try to write for such different characters at once, and I don't want to compromise my work.

Also, I'm an invalid for two more days while my knee heals up. So there's that.

Thanks to Ketsuko Kyo, Oni Kenpachi, Lovelydasom, totaalt, lunascarlet, ShinigamiWanabe, whitewhite, ichigo1508, and KyokoRenea for reviewing! You guys are all freakin awesome, and I love you.  
The rest of you? Hit that button. You know you want to.

* * *

I dragged myself up the stairs, feeling drained.

Zoro had walked me down to my room after his watch ended, and had left me at the door with a kiss on the forehead. I blushed remembering it, but as I cleared the deck, Nami's words made me become serious again.

"What? Crocodile is the hero of Alabasta?"

I swung the door open, feeling grim.

"Basically, the Shichibukai are pirates who work for the government. Whether the they crush pirates for treasure or the marines crush them for justice, the people's gratitude doesn't change. After all, their towns attackers are driven away." Vivi explained to the navigator as I sat down next to her against the wall. My eyebrow quirked as I glanced over Zoro lying spread-eagled on the deck, and I chuckled a bit.

"I get it. So the people would never even suspect that their hero is actually trying to take over the country." Sanji said, and Vivi leaned against my arm slightly. I glanced down at her, then decided to let her be.  
"So, I just need to kick Crocodile's ass, right?" Luffy exclaimed while punching the air, and the princess nodded.

"Yes, but we'll stop the rebellion first. Then we can drive Baroque Works out of my country." She said, and Usopp waved his hands in the air.

"Wait a minute. How does this Baroque system work, anyway? Mr. This and Miss. that..." He asked, and my eyes flicked over to him briefly as the princess ordered her thoughts.

I dazed off as she began to explain the system, my thoughts turning inward.

_What would I do when I saw Crocodile?_

I knew for a fact that we wouldn't be able to do much against him except possibly by an act of Fate. In all the years I had been owned by him, I had never seen him display any weakness or softness, except for he would occasionally leave his enemies to die instead of finishing them off.

"I GET IT NOW! I JUST NEED TO KICK HIS ASS!" Luffy yelled as Sanji snorted derisively, and Nami perked up a bit.

"So then. If the takeover of Alabasta is Crocodile's aim, then all the officer agents will be together." She said.

"They aren't the biggest threat though." I commented, and eyes swung to me as I leaned forward. "Crocodile is."

The others took in my expression and the way my fists were clenched before speaking.

"What's so special about him?" Sanji asked, and I allowed myself a small smirk.  
"He's like me, a Logia user. His is sand though. And in a desert country like Alabasta..." I trailed off, and Nami's eyes widened as I stood.

"He can suck the moisture out of anything with his right hand, exactly like I can pull the air from objects with mine." I said, holding up my arm as a reference.

Sanji almost dropped his cigarette as he put two and two together.

"The merman! That's what you did to the merman at Arlong Park!" He exclaimed, and I nodded.  
"So what's for lunch?"

I was met with a round of groans.

"What?"

* * *

**Five days later**

* * *

I was sitting in the galley with Nami, Sanji, and Chopper as we fought our hunger. I had managed to catch a few birds by pulling them down in the air, but there hadn't been any for a few days.

"Come quick, Nami! There's something up ahead!" Vivi exclaimed as she poked her head in. Nami and chopper exchanged glances as they rose to go see what the commotion was about.

I stayed seated, a weight attached to each of my fingers as I flexed them. A good hand-to-hand fighter needed to have good finger strength too. A cough got my attention, and I smiled over at Sanji.

"I can't wait till we get to port. Your cooking is so good.." I said to him, and he grinned.  
"It's an honor to serve a beauty such as yourself! I'm glad my cooking makes you happy." He responded, and my smile faltered.

"Sanji...please don't compliment me so much." I said as I set my weights down.

_It makes me uncomfortable._

He frowned, but said nothing for a few minutes.

"You and shitty marimo are pretty close, huh."

I choked on air for a moment.

"W-what? Where the hell did that come from?" I sputtered as the cook took a leisurely drag of his cigarette.  
"Well, it's just you and him are always together, it seems. It was just an observation."

I turned away from the cook and continued to do my exercises.

"Yea...we are." I said.

Sanji didn't say anything else until Nami came to tell us to get down to the deck.

* * *

"MEEEEOOOOOWWWWWW!"

I was standing by Nami up on the main deck, trying to push us along a little faster with some winds.

"WHAT IS THAT?"  
"A SEA CAT!"  
"MEEEOOOOWWWW!"  
"OUR FIRST MEAL IN FOUR DAYS!"  
"FOOOOOD!"

Nami examined the log post while I looked out over the ocean with her.

"I hope we get there soon..." She murmured, to which I nodded my agreement as we walked back towards the others.

"Vivi! The wind and temperature seem to be stabilizing."  
"Yes, we've entered the Alabastan climate zone. The sea cat is more proof."

I moved to stand next to Zoro as we stared at something behind the ship.

"I bet those things behind us are even better proof that we're close to Alabasta." He said with a smirk as I picked up the speed of the sails.

Ships.

At least 20 ships were all sailing in the distance toward us.

"Look at all those ships! When did they..."  
"They all have Baroque Works signs on them!"  
"All the members are coming together."  
"Those are probably the millions, the underlings of the officer agents."  
"200 of them will be tough..."  
"And they're different from the 100 people that were at Whiskey Peak."  
"Let's shoot them with the cannon!"  
"No, it's faster if we go over there and kick their asses."

Zoro smirked at the other's panicky expressions.

"Calm down. They're nothing." He said, and I laughed as I leaned on the rail next to him.  
"Yea..all is lost if we lose sight of our objective." Sanji said, and I waved a hand in the air.  
"There's only 9 of us anyway." I pointed out.

Zoro stilled the conversations easily.

"We need to make sure that we can recognize each other. Chopper, do you have bandages?" He asked, and the reindeer ran off to grab some from his kit.  
I cast the swordsman a glance.

"What do you mean, recognize each other?" I asked curiously. Nami was the one to answer me, however.

"We picked up one of the officer agents, Mr. 2, a little bit ago. He touched us with his hand and copied us, down to our bodies and voice." She explained.

Chopper returned to the deck with the bandages as we moved down to the midships area.

"So here's my idea. We'll make an x mark on our arms, and cover it with a bandage. The bandage will be proof that we are who we say we are. If for any reason, one of us is suspicous of the others, take the bandage off and show the mark. So tie them on tight." Zoro said as he accepted a bandage from chopper and wrapped it around his arm after drawing an X mark on it.

"Our enemies have plenty of tricks." He finished as I took the bandage from him and quietly tied it off for him as we sat on the steps. I tried not to notice how his eyes followed my movements, or how warm his skin was when he took my arm to wrap the bandage around it.

"I get it. As long as we have these on, and the marks underneath, we don't need to doubt one another." Nami said as Vivi helped her with her bandage.  
"Does he really look like us that much when he does his copy thing?" Sanji asked from the other side of the mast.

"He doesn't look like us, he IS us. Too bad, you really should have seen it." Usopp said  
"I'm not interested in transvestites."  
"We were even dancing!"

Zoro's fingers lingered on my arm for a moment before he curled his hand into a fist and thumped his bandage.

"Well, now that we know he's among the enemy, we all have to be careful. Stay on your guard." He said sternly, and Chopper looked a little worried.

"Hey...what should I do?" He asked, pointing to himself.

Usopp took on a firm pose.

"Just do what you can, nothing else. Run away from enemies you can't beat! Just do your best!" He said, and Sanji snorted.  
"You're just telling that to yourself."

Chopper seemed to take this seriously though.  
"What I can do...got it!"

I wanted to hug him, but opted instead to stand and look over the water.

"Hey, we're coming up on the harbour." I called over to Nami. She walked up beside me and scanned the bank.  
"Lets stop in that inlet to the west. We have to hide the ship." She said, and we began to make for the point.

"Okay! Whatever happens, from now on, this left arm is proof of friendship." Luffy said, and we all moved together and stood in a circle. We extended our arms, and let out a cheer.  
"Now lets get to dry land!"

* * *

I was digging through my bag when I heard my cabin door open and close behind me. Hearing someone take long strides across the floor, I half turned, just in time to have Zoro's lips crash down onto mine as he pulled me into a firm embrace. I was stunned for a moment as he pressed me backwards until I was pinned between his body and the wall. A small moan escaped me as I wrapped my arms around his waist, returning the kiss. Heat rose to my cheeks as he pulled away for a moment and buried his face in my hair.

"Be careful in town." He murmured, and my stomach did a little flip at the words.

"Y-you too." I stammered as he leaned his forehead on mine, and my gaze focused on his lips again. I blushed a bit harder and leaned in to kiss him.

He returned it.


	23. Chapter 23

**NOTE:** Not much to tell here, just dead tired. Oh yea, Thursdays update is gonna have to be moved to Friday, I have a bunch of things going on in the middle of the week, and I'm not going to be able to finish the next chapter in time except by the grace of Enel. Yes, I said that.

Thanks to Ketsuko Kyo, ichigo1508, whitewhite, and CHIDORI-SHIORI for reviewing! 333  
Edit: Sorry! Thanks also to lovelydasom! sorry luvs.

All the rest of you...c'mon and tell me what you think!

* * *

"Remind me again why I have to go clothes shopping with you?"

Nami shot me an annoyed look as I slouched in the chair.  
The crew had split up, and I had been dragged along to buy clothes for everyone instead of get supplies like I would have preferred.

"Because you owe me money for borrowing my clothes for so long."  
I rolled my eyes.

_Oh. Yea. _

"If I had been aware they came with a price tag I wouldn't have bothered." I muttered, and she glared at me.  
"You want me to increase your debt?"  
"_Hell _No."  
"Then pick out an outfit."

I groaned and got to my feet as my eyes wandered over the racks of clothes. I noted Sanji picking out some clothes for Vivi and Nami, and shuddered as I saw they were dancer's clothing.

_Better get this over with. _

I quickly picked out a pair of of long, loose tan pants and a matching tabard, along with two blue sashes. I also grabbed a white tunic and a pair of sandals as Vivi walked up to me.

"I see you remember what to wear in the desert." She said with a small grin, and I smirked back at her.  
"Well, it will be more appropriate than whatever Sanji tries to convince you to wear." I shot back as I moved into the dressing room.

I slipped into the clothing, tying one of the sashes around my waist after bandaging my chest. I slipped my arms into the sleeves of the tunic, leaving it open, and wrapped the second scarf around my head. After listening to the sounds coming from outside the door for a moment, I packed my old clothes into the bag I had smuggled in amongst the tunic and ghosted out the window.

"Sorry guys, but I'm not sticking around to shop." I muttered.

* * *

I walked into the marketplace with a determined expression set on my features. I was _HUNGRY _damnit!

_...What was that delicious smell?_

I pushed past the crowd surrounding a small eatery, and stopped to stare at the man lying face-down in his food, fork held high above his head.

_What happened?_

I tugged on a man's garment sleeve and tried to look innocent.

"Excuse me, but what exactly is wrong with him?" I asked, and the man. He turned to me with all the air of someone who believes he knows everything.  
"Oh, that young man? He died while talking to the shop owner. We think he ate a desert strawberry." He said, and I calmly noted how the man's chest was rising and falling ever so slightly.

_Well, he's still breathing, so he isn't dead. Are these people idiots?_

I picked up a rag from the counter and walked over to the sleeping man as the rest of the occupants stared at me in shock.

"What are you doing?"  
"Get away from him!"

I glared at them before reaching out to tickle the man's exposed side. He shot into the air with a huge intake of breath,

"AAAH! HE CAME BACK TO LIFE!"

I touched his arm lightly and handed him the rag as he turned to face me.

Curly black hair and tanned skin. He had freckles, and I was damn certain that was the Whitebeard tattoo on his back.

"Here." I offered as his eyes roved over me. He accepted the rag with a blank expression, and wiped his face off.

"Damn. I fell asleep."

I smiled and took the seat next to him while the rest of the people in the store snapped.

"You fell asleep?"  
"In the middle of a meal and conversation?"  
"And he just started chewing again!"

The pirate fixed them with a look.

"What are you getting so worked up for?"

I laughed at that, and he glanced over at me.

"They thought you were dead." I said with a smile, and he snorted, then turned to the shop owner.

"You guys hire comedians or something?" He jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the people milling around, and the cook grinned.  
"No...well anyway, I'm glad you're ok."

My arm shot out to keep the pirate's face from falling in his food again. He jerked up again with a light snort, and I smiled at the cook, getting ready to order myself some food.

"By the way...you seen this guy in town? Kid with a straw hat?" The man asked, and I gawked at the wanted poster he was holding up.

_Luffy?_

"I guess you don't have a problem with eating in public."

_Shit._

The pirate sitting next to me looked over his shoulder at who had come in.

"Now what does the commander of the 'Whitebeard Pirate Crew' second corps want in this country? Well, Portgas D. Ace?"

_Why was SMOKER here?_

I barely paid attention to the crowd's hysterics as I exchanged a glance with the man named Ace. His eyes narrowed a bit at my expression, then sharpened when he caught me clench my fists as I looked over at the marine captain.

He turned to face the man with a grin.

"I'm on a search for my little brother."

I stared at him in shock.

_He had a poster of Luffy.  
He said he was looking for his brother.  
Luffy had a brother?_

Smoker moved into the room and Ace grinned.

"So...what should I do?" The other pirate asked sarcastically.  
"Just sit there and let me arrest you."  
"Rejected. Sorry, no can do."

Smoker glanced over at me.

"Miss, please move away from him."

Ace met my eyes and made a little sho-ing motion, but I sighed.

_Can't let my captain's brother get into trouble alone. _

I turned and met Smoker's eyes solidly.

"So you're trying to let me leave? Unusual, coming from you." I snarked, and his expression was...interesting.  
"Godhand. I didn't expect you to be here as well, much less traveling with a pirate."

I blinked.

He thought we were...oh.

_Oh. _

I flushed, and Ace smirked a bit.  
"So what? What are you gonna do?" He asked.

Smoker looked irritated.

"I'm looking for a different pirate...and honestly, Godhand, I'm not really interested in you." He said, and Ace spread his hands out in front of him.  
"Then let us go."  
"I can't do that, because I'm a marine, and you are pirates."

Smoker's arms began to lift lazily, and Ace lifted an eyebrow.

"What a dumb reason. Chill out, man!"

The next thing I was aware of was Smoker hurtling towards the two of us, and being sent flying through the air. I landed on something that grunted slightly, and was EXTREMELY warm.  
After shaking my head a bit, my vision cleared, and I found myself staring down at the Whitebeard pirate. I quickly disentangled myself from him as he groaned and sat up.

"Damnit! Who the hell was that?" He muttered.

I, however, was already on my feet and starting to pull him along.

"Hurry the hell up! I can't believe that IDIOT! Does he know just how much trouble he's going to get us into!" I snapped angrily, and Ace just gave me a confused look as he allowed me to drag him back to the restaurant.

"What are you talking abou..."

His jaw dropped as he saw my captain shoveling food into his mouth.

"L-Lu..!"

A hand dropped onto my head, shoving me down into the ground. I groaned, rubbing the lump on my head, and looked up in time to see Luffy start spitting food all over Smoker.

_Is that some kind of attack?_

I stared, dumbfounded, as Luffy scooped food into his mouth and ran out the door, Smoker after him.

"SHIT!" I yelled as Ace and I scrambled to our feet to race after them.  
"WAIT UP LUFFY! IT'S ME!"

I narrowed my eyes and put on a burst of speed that the man next to me just barely kept up with.

"Fuck. You're Luffy's brother, huh?" I said as we ran. The pirates glanced over at me curiously.  
"Yea. Fire Fist Ace at your service." He said with a small grin that I returned.  
"Godhand Delanoi Kai."

My attention was drawn by watching Luffy leap up the side of a building, followed by Smoker.

"Sorry. I'm going ahead." I said as I wisped into a gust of wind and raced past the marines chasing my idiotic captain. I bore down on the pair just as Smoker activated his ability.  
"White Snake!" He called out, his smoke forming into a clamp.

I was at Luffy's side in an instant, and turned half solid again as I spun, knee bent. Smoker's eyes widened at my partially transformed state, and I unleashed a heavy kick in his direction, sending his smoke wisps back at him with a gust of wind.

"Thanks Kai! Hurry up and get to the ship!" Luffy yelled as he leaped down the building. I spun, sending another wind flurry at Smoker, who was approaching fast, and dropped down the building to meet up with Ace again.

"We gotta get to the ship. Smoker isn't going to just let us get away." I gritted out, and spend up as Smoker sent a huge fist of smoke at my captain's back.

Ace was quicker, surprisingly.  
"Heat Haze!"

He coalesced out of flames in front of Smoker, as did I out of air from a bit behind him. The marine captain halted for a minute.

"What do you want?" He asked, and Ace grinned cockily.  
"Cut it out. You may be Smoke, but I'm Fire. Your powers don't stand a chance against me." He as he put his arm in front of me slightly.

"Ace?"

Luffy looked positively flabbergasted, and Ace returned the look with a smirk.

"Hey. You haven't changed at all, Luffy." He said, and I dropped into stance, allowing the winds to pick up around me as marines began to flood the area. Ace noticed it as well.  
"We can't talk like this though. You guys run, and I'll catch up with you. I need to stay here and stop these guys for you." He said, and gave me a stern glance.

"GO!" I yelled, and looked over my shoulder at the group. My eyes landed on Zoro, who was giving me a 'what-did-I-tell-you' look. I smiled at him, and he nodded slightly, then took off with the rest.  
"What are you doing?" Ace asked, and I grinned, sending a single cyclone at a group of marines.  
"You aren't the only Logia user here." I said as the winds picked up, howling.

He started laughing.

"Fire and Air, huh? Let's finish this quickly."  
"Agreed."

He charged at Smoker while I shot off smaller tornadoes at pockets of marines, sending people flying with every hit. I found myself laughing with joy as we fought, and grinned as I rushed in to do some damage to the tougher marines. I refrained from using Breathless though, since these men were only doing their job. After a few moments though, I felt the air heat up around me. I transformed fully just as Ace exploded into a huge ball of flames. Seeing my chance, I sent a gust of wind in Smoker's direction, sending him flying into a building.

"C'mon!" Ace exclaimed as he ran past, gripping my arm as he went. I stumbled into the turn and ran after him, leaving the marines in disarray behind us.

I was still grinning when we reached his dinghy, and I leaped in, helping him unhook it from the dock. He jumped in, and I almost overbalanced and fell, but he caught my arm just in time.

"Sit in the front, I don't want Luffy getting mad at me for letting one of his crew drown." He said, and I did so.  
"Was that a flame net you put over them?" I asked, and he grinned.  
"Yea. It works pretty well, huh?"

I smiled at him.

"Yea."

Smoker seemed to be able to solidify his smoke. I wondered if I could do that with my own power? I had never thought about it before, but then again, I had always had to deal damage either directly or in large groups before. trying to solidify air was a novel idea.

* * *

"Hey. That's your ship?"

I looked over my shoulder to see us coming up on the Going Merry.

"Yea. Thanks for the ride." I said suddenly, and Ace grinned at me.  
"No problem." He said as we pulled up next to the ship.

"Monster's brother must be a monster..."  
"Yea I always got my ass kicked! But I could beat him now!"

I exchanged a grin with Ace before we hopped up onto the railing.

"Just who could you beat?" Ace asked as I slipped down onto the deck. Luffy flipped over to grin at his brother.  
"ACE!"

"Yo." He greeted us, and I slipped past Zoro, giving him a slight apologetic smile. His expression barely changed, but I caught the twitch of his lips into what would have been a smile.

"Hey everyone...thanks for taking care of my brother." He said with a grin, and heads dropped across the board.  
"No kidding..."

Luffy tilted his head.

"So why are you here, Ace?"  
"Huh? You didn't get my message in Drum?"  
"Drum?"  
"Ah never mind, no biggie."

Ace's mood seemed to darken for a moment.

"Anyways, I'm glad I saw you. I'm here for a silly little task, and figured I'd try to meet up with you. Luffy...will you come join the 'Whitebeard Pirate Crew'? Your friends too, of course."  
"No Way." was Luffy's instant and firm reply.

Ace laughed.  
"I just thought I'd ask."

Usopp was putting two and two together, and coming up with four.  
"Whitebeard..so that mark on your back is real?" He asked.

"Yea. It's my pride and joy. Whitebeard is the greatest pirate I've ever known. I want to make him Pirate King, not you, Luffy."  
"That's ok! I'll just fight him!"

Sanji cut in here.

"Why don't you come inside if you want to talk? I'll make some tea."  
"No thanks, this will only take a minute."  
"Those marines haven't been after us at all."  
"Yea, we took care of them. Here. I wanted to give this to you." Ace said as he flipped Luffy a folded piece of paper.

"Huh?"  
"Always keep that with you."  
"It's just a piece of paper."  
"Yup. It'll let us meet again."  
"Wow..."  
"Don't want it?"  
"No...I do!"

Ace put his hand on his hat with a grin.

"Having a stupid little brother makes an older brother worry. He probably gives you guys lots of problems too. Take care of him for me." He said to us, and leaped off the boat onto his dinghy.  
"What? You're leaving already?" Luffy asked with a pout.  
"Yea." Ace's voice came floating up from down below.

Luffy leaned over the railing with an almost sad expression.

"You can chill out here a little longer! I haven't seen you in so long!"

"I told you, I only came to do that. I'm chasing a major criminal right now...He's been calling himself 'Blackbeard' lately. He used to be a member of the Whitebeard Second Corps though, my subordinate. He commited the worst crime possible on a pirate ship, crewmate killing. I'm the commander, so I have to finish him off. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be back in this part of the sea. The next time we meet, will be at the top of the Pirate world!"

Luffy waved him off as we stared at one another.

"How could someone that responsible be Luffy's brother?"  
"Please everyone..."  
"I was sure he would be just as irresponsible as Luffy..."  
"Brotherhood is a wonderful thing."  
"What a great guy...He really cares about his brother!"  
"The sea is a mysterious place."

"He's a good guy." I finished off, and frowned at my attire.

_I need to put something else on..._

"I'm going downstairs to change."


	24. Chapter 24

So yea. I really suck. But I lost my drive for this story for a long ass time...and now im getting it back. Infrequent updates, but I will keep at it.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed and helped me find my drive again.

* * *

I raced across the desert, reveling in the feel of the harsh sun and the sting of sand on my face. I had outpaced the others at this point, having gone on ahead. Nami had been mad at me.

"What do you mean you want to go ahead of us?" She had snapped, glaring at me. I met her gaze uncomfortably.  
"Look, I can move more quickly than any of you in this environment. If we want this to stop, we have to get word out immediatly. I'd rather not sit on my hands and wait." I explained.

Luffy and Vivi had stepped in at this point.

"Haha! that's a good idea, Kai! Make sure to get us a lot of meat!" Luffy said happily, while Vivi touched my arm hesitantly.  
"Be careful when you talk to the rebel leader." She said softly, and I grinned at her.

"I'll see you all when I get there."

_I won't._

I had a plan to carry out, and a promise to keep.

_I need to kill Crocodile._

I sped up as I remembered how Zoro had tossed me his casual grin, all sharp edges and ferociousness.

_I have people counting on me. _

* * *

"Well, well. What am I going to do with you, Kai?"

I kept my face carefully blank as I watched my master pace back and forth in front of the bars of my cell.

"You really are a gem. But you did too well in the gladiatorial ring, you know. I can't enter you again because you've been banned from returning. So what am I going to do with a fighter who cannot fight?"

I refused to allow him to see my fear, that he would kill me here and now, that I would die without seeing my sky again.  
He picked up on it anyway.

"Well, even though you cannot do what I bought you to do, I have another task that you might fulfill." He said, and began to grin.

_I hated that smile._

"Kill Princess Nefertari Vivi, and I'll forgive you, my dear Delanoi."

A few days later, when I met the princess, she greeted me with a smile and an offer to play with her.

I couldn't do it.  
I couldn't kill an innocent like her.  
But I could protect her instead.

A month of following her around, letting her play dress up with me and taking part in miniature tea parties that she dragged Pell and Chaka into.  
A month of becoming her trusted friend and fierce companion.  
A month of more affection than I had ever received before.

And then the attack had happened.

I had been following a little ways behind her small group of friends when the bandits had jumped out of nowhere to attack her. My only available option was to take the damage in her place, and so I _moved._

Two swords bit into my torso, slicing me from shoulder to hip as I grabbed the two thugs with my right hand clasped around their wrist. Blood spurted from three bodies and I collapsed as the Princess ran for Pell and Chaka.

They wouldn't find me.

A boot appeared in my range of vision as my life bled out of me, and cigar smoke wafted around the area.

"You are useless to me now."

* * *

I shook myself out of my memories as I crested the last dune separating me from Yuba, and was greeted not with a bustling Oasis town, but a dead town, dried up and almost overtaken by sand.

Buildings leaning to the side, the palm trees, once magnificent, now drooping and breaking.

_What the hell happened here?_

"Ah, are you a visitor, young man?"

I slid down the hill and walked over to stand next to the emaciated elderly man standing next to what had once been a hotel.

"Yea, I am...I was looking for the Rebel army, actually."

I was forced to begin dodging things that the old man began throwing at me.

"You want to join the Rebel Army? Well don't linger here, go throw your life away with them out at Katorea instead! No one will stay in Yuba anymore because of the sandstorms that come here!"  
"Hey hey hey! I don't want to join them!"  
"Then why are you looking for them? You young kids.."  
"No, stop it old man! I'm trying to STOP them!" I yelled in exasperation

He put down the shovel he had leveled at me, and stared at me.

"You can't be...Delanoi Kai?" He said, shocked. I stared at him.

_How did he.._

My mind began adding features to his face, a bit more fat on his cheeks, and a smile instead of a frown.

"Toto? Kohza's dad?"

He pulled me into a hug that nearly broke my spine as tears streamed down his face.  
"Where have you been? You must come in and let me tell you about everything that's happened since you left." He said, and I could only stare mutely and follow him inside the hotel.

_What had happened to this place?_

"It was right after you disappeared. The rain began to stop falling, and that Shichibukai began hunting the pirates that plagued the country. We found a shipment of Dance powder on the way to Alubarna, and the people blamed the King. I know that Cobra would never do such a thing, but the younger generation...they all began to hate the King." Toto said.  
"So they created the Rebel army to fight the King." I said, beginning to piece together information in my head.

_King Cobra wouldn't have ordered the Dance Powder.  
_

_Crocodile would have though.  
_

_So he angered the people into thinking their King was corrupt, and they created a Rebel Army.  
_

_Sandstorms began plaguing the town, causing them to move to Katorea, closer to Alubarna. _

_Damn you, Crocodile._

"So I go to Rainbase." I said, and the old man's eyebrows went up.  
"Why do you want to find the Shichibukai?" He asked, and I settled my calm gaze on him.  
"Find Crocodile, stop him, and I can stop everything that's been going wrong with this country." I said as I shed my jacket and headband, setting them on the table, and slipped on the long desert jacket I'd brought with me.  
"What do you mean by that?" Toto asked, and I gave him no answer.

"My crew should be here by tomorrow. Let them know that I'm going to Rainbase to scout the situtation there, and that I'll meet them there if I can." I said as I walked out of the hotel and disappeared into a gust of wind, racing towards Rainbase.

_Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Usopp, Chopper...Vivi..._

_I don't think I'll make it this time. _

_I'm so sorry.  
_


	25. Chapter 25

Heeeyyyyyy people. SO! the 25th chapter! I hope you all enjoy it.  
NEWS! So, on my profile page, I finally settled on a theme for Kai, and there is also a link to an avatar i made of her on . Fun stuff.

Thanks to xiloveanime01x, FirstMateShadowNinja, Miyu the fangirl, supterattackpea, Nunua, cuteknight101, Luffy95, and BirdieV.R.S for reviewing! the rest of you? Hit that button.

* * *

"STOOOOP JOOOOOKING AROUNDDDD!" was what I heard as I ghosted into the secret basement of Rain Dinners Casino.

_Really, Crocodile? Your base of operations has a Bananadile on the roof. A Bananadile made out of gold. _

Needless to say, it was easy to spot.

"How long is he going to make us wait? At least bring out some Takopa!"

_The hell is Takopa?_

I found a dark corner to hide in, settling in to wait. I decided to lean out for a peek, and was satisfied that none of them could see me.

A man in a ballet costume was spinning around in circles, his leg raised impossibly high behind him, while a short stout woman who reminded me of a mole yelled at him. A large fat man was laughing at them both, while a thin voluptious woman was shaking her head. And across from her was a tall serious man with a unibrow..who I actually knew.

"I'm spinning! Spinning like a beautiful swan!"  
"Please be quiet, Mr. 2."  
"Seriously, you 'Duh'! Your shoutin' kills my hip!"  
"You be quiet as well, Miss Merry Christmas."

_So the ballerina is Mr. 2, the mole is Miss Merry Christmas...I'm guessing the fat man sitting across from her is her partner. I know Daz Bones is Mr. 1, Mr 2 is the Okama. We already took out Mr. 3 and Mr. 5, so the fat man must be Mr. 4. The woman across from Daz though, I don't know her. _

_Well, I will soon enough. _

The tapping of footsteps made me shrink back a bit, and I pressed myself into the shadows even more firmly.

"Well, it looks like you all really can't get along. Not that it really matters.." I heard Nico Robin say casually.  
"Miss All-Sunday!  
"OH, SUNDAY DARLING, HOW ARE YOOOOO?"  
"I SAID SHUT UP, YA 'DUH'!"

_I want to rip that mole's mouth off._

"Thank you for enduring the long journey here. Having all of us together will ensure our victory." Nico said demurely.  
"Miss All Sunday. Where is this?" I heard Daz say.

_Serious as always, huh Daz._

"Oh, that's right...Banchi took you in the back door. You're probably familiar with the town where people dream of getting rich quick by gambling, The 'Dream Town', Rainbase. The building you are in right now towers above the oasis in the middle of Rainbase. The greatest Casino in town...Rain Dinners." Nico said dramatically, and there was a silence from all the Baroque Works agents gathered there.

"Yeah, lets go! Start now nowstart."

_...Seriously, can I shut that mole up? God._

"But before that, I must introduce the boss you haven't met yet." Nico said, and the room breezed as bits of sand began moving across it. "Until now, I have acted as his 'Private Face' in giving you orders, but there is no more need to do so..understand?" She finished.

"It's about time..." came a deep, relaxed voice that I knew entirely too well. Crocodile coalesced into the chair at the head of the table, looking relaxed and confident as ever.

_Bastard._

"Plan: Utopia. That is the final plan of Baroque Works"  
"What?"  
"Eh?"  
"CROCODILE?"

"I thought you would recognize his 'Public Face'..." Nico chuckled  
"Well damn this is unbelievable."  
"I never would have guessed...Why one of the Shichibukai?"  
"YOU MEAN WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR A PIRATE?"  
"_**You**_ are our boss?"

Crocodile's face darkened with each comment.

**"Any complaints?"**

I shivered in my hiding spot, that tone bringing back memories I really didn't want to be having.

The Baroque Works agents fell silent for a moment, before Daz's partner spoke up.

"No complaints...Just a question. Why would a pirate sponsered by the World Government do this?"

To my surprise, Crocodile almost _**chuckled.**_

_**Damn**__ that's creepy._

"What I want is not money or land..it's military force. He said cryptically.

"Military force...?" Daz questioned, and was brushed off as Crocodile lit his cigar.

"Let's talk about this in order. First my objective, then the details of Baroque Works final plan." He stated calmly, and began to explain.

As I sat and listened, the more horrified and angry I became.

He was going to overthrown Vivi's country to get at some legendary superweapon..Pluton.  
Mr 4 and Miss Merry Christmas would kidnap King Cobra, and hand him over to Nico.  
Mr. 2 would be impersonating the King in Nanohana and admit to using Dance Powder in Alubarna, inciting the rebels.  
Daz and Miss Doublefinger would crash a supply ship into Nanohana, arming the Rebels, and allowing them to fight the Royal Army.  
All of the agents other than Crocodile and Nico would then meet up and cause havoc while Crocodile and Robin got the superweapon.

_He doesn't even care that he's ruining this country, and all for a stupid legend. But I shouldn't be surprised._

"You mean we can do that here? We can take over the whole country? I'm getting excited!" exclaimed Mr. 2 with glee.  
"So our last duties..are to carry out the different facets of this final plan?" Daz inquired.

"That is correct." Crocodile intoned. "All the jobs you have done since the founding of Baroque Works have been for this plan, and those are the last orders I will entrust you with. The time to get rid of the Kingdom of Alabasta has come." He said, smiling as the agents looked at their orders. After a few minutes, they held them to the candelabra in the middle of the table, burning them.

"When you have completed those orders, the Kingdom of Alabasta will be destroyed. The cornered rebels and civilians will tragically fall right into the Baroque Works' hands! In just one night...this country will become our Utopia!"

I saw red, and in that instant, I could only think of one thing.

_**"I won't let that happen."**_

Heads spun as I snarled out the sentence, darting out of the shadows towards the table full of Baroque Works. Crocodile's eyes widened for a fraction of a second as he recognized me, and then I transformed to full Logia and attacked.

Blood rage is a strange thing. I can count on one hand the number of times I've felt it in my entire life. It's an all-consuming anger, coursing through your body, setting your blood on fire. Whenever it's happened, I can never remember what I do while under it's effect.

As a result, the next few minutes are still foggy in my mind, even now as I look back on it. All I can remember is wind and sand and hands and steel before a whirring noise caught my attention. Before I could find out where it was coming from, a cage crashed down around me and I slammed into it, promptly getting my energy drained.

_Goddamn seastone._

"Well, well, well. If it isn't little Delanoi, come back from the grave. Tell me, how did you get in here?" Crocodile rasped, his face shadowed, but smiling.

"..." I chose to glare at him nastily, not saying anything at all.

"Even more importantly, how did you know where to find me?" He asked, and my glare deepened.

"As if I would actually tell you that." I hissed, stepping away from the bars as I did so.

"...I apologize for the interruption, I'll be dealing with **that** later." Crocodile said smoothly after a moment, making his way back to the head of the table.

_Fuck._

Several of the agents exchanged glances before giving him their attention again.

"This is Baroque Works' great, final 'Plan Utopia'. Failure will not be tolerated. The operation will begin tomorrow morning at 7 o'clock. Meeting adjourned." Crocodile finished, then smiled evilly.

"Pray for victory."  
" I would appreciate it if you waited a bit on this 'Plan: Utopia'."

_Who..._

I glanced up from inside the cage to see who had interrupted Royal Bastard the First.

_Wha...What the hell? Waxman?_

"Mr. 3! How did _you_ get into the secret underground base?" Nico asked, sounding surprised.  
"MR. 3! WHERE DID YOU SNEAK IN FROM? I GOT RID OF YOU, JUST LIKE I WAS ORDERED TO!" the ballerina yelled, lunging forward.  
"WAIT, MR. 2!" Crocodile shouted at him.

"Sneak? How rude. I simply followed you all the way from Spiders Cafe. I hitched a ride on your Banchi." Waxman said offhandedly, before becoming serious.  
"Boss, please listen. I came here because I wanted another chance. Of course Mr. 2 came to kill me because I failed to complete the orders I was assigned, so I changed my course slightly and went to the Agent meeting spot, Spiders Cafe." He finished saying, then noticed me glaring at him from the cage. "But I see you already know about that."

"You failed to complete your orders? I already know? What are you talking about?" Crocodile asked, setting his cigar down.

Waxy gave him a strange look.

"I'm referring to the fact that I allowed Vivi and the Straw Hat crew to escape."

Crocodile stood up swiftly, his chair flying backwards as he did so.

"YOU LET THEM ESCAPE? YOU MEAN THEY ARE STILL ALIVE?" He yelled, and my eyes widened in shock.

_Wait...wait a minute.  
_

_He...didn't know that we escaped him? He didn't spot us as we were coming in? And why is he shocked **now?** I thought that the Unluckies saw me back in Whiskey Peak. Surely they reported that I was with the Straw Hats..._

"What did you tell me on the phone snail then? Didn't you say you had disposed of the pirates and Vivi?" Crocodile asked angrily, bits of sand beginning to float around him, a sure sign that he was furious.

"What do you mean? I never used my phone snail on Little Garden." Mr. 3 said, raising his hands out.

"...WHAT...?"

Crocodile sat back down with a thud a few brief seconds later, lighting his cigar and sighing.

"Damn. Well, now I know why the Unluckies never came back. You killed at least one or two of them, right?" He asked, composed again.

"W-well, not exactly..."

Crocodile fixed him with a killing stare.

"What?"

Mr. 3 began to wave his hands in consternation. "B-but there was a mistake in the information! There were actually five pirate escorts! A-another long-nosed man...and a logia user!"

Heads snapped to look at me as I scowled from inside the seastone cage.

_...Shit. _

"Why you..." Crocodile snarled at Mr. 3, while Mr. 2 became utterly confused.

"ZERO DARLING? EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND HERE! I DON'T UNDERSTAND!"

And so Crocodile did. He told them how Vivi had learned his true identity, and that she had come under the protection of a pirate crew, and he had sent agents to kill them, and how they had apparently failed.

_I still don't understand. He didn't know that I was with the crew? How..._

And then I saw Nico's small smile as she glanced at me.

_Someone edited the information before it reached Crocodile. _

_Interesting, Nico Robin._

"I...I MET THEM!" Mr. 2 exclaimed suddenly, and the others stared at him in shock.

"What?"  
"While I was on my way here...I MET ALL OF THEM!" He repeated, his hand spreading out on the table where the pictures of the crew had been laid.

He turned into Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper, pointing at each one in turn, then slapping the photo of Vivi.

"AND SHE MISS WEDNESDAY? PRINCESS VIVI? YOU MEAN THEY WERE ALL ENEMIES?" He exclaimed, and Crocodile glanced over at me.

"And it looks like my little problem over there was one of them as well. Yes, they all know my identity. If we let them go, they'll interfere with the plan."

_Wait...they didn't mention Sanji. They still don't know about him!_

_Good._

"Mr. 3, you said there were two extra people.. and an animal, with them. More than previously reported." Crocodile said, his mind at work. He glanced over at me again, and gave me a condescending look. "We already caught one, I believe." He intoned, then promptly forgot I existed. "If we ignore the pet and, that leaves five left, including Vivi. And since Delanoi is sitting right over there, they're already in Alabasta, and probably on their way here."

_Damnit. If he catches them because of my goddamn stupidity I'll never forgive myself._

"Mr. 2, let's take some pictures using your memory." Crocodile said.

Apparently the Waxman couldn't stand being ignored.

"BUT BOSS! IF YOU'D JUST GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE, I WILL DESTROY VIVI AND HER CREW!" he yelled, and was cut short by Crocodile grabbing him by the throat.  
"SILENCE, YOU MORONIC EGGHEAD!" He yelled.

_Sayonara, Mr. 3. It hasn't been a pleasure knowing you, but I almost feel sorry for you now._

"Mr. 3...Mr. 3. Do you know why I gave you the position I did? Hmm?" Crocodile asked, seemingly casual.

I knew better.

"In battle, you are inferior to Mr. 4! I gave you the position of Mr. 3 because I believed your sneaky, cowardly tricks would eventually fulfill my orders. And you disappointed me! Someone who can't do what he needs to do when the time comes is worthless!"

_Well. That sounds familiar, doesn't it.  
But all the same...I kindof agree with it. But I don't.  
People aren't worthless. Some are just braver than others. _

While Crocodile was keeping a firm grip on Mr. 3's neck, Mr. 3 had begun to shrivel up, like a mummy. The other Agents noticed it quickly enough.

"W-WHAT'S HAPPENING?"  
"He's..He's drying up..."

I could only look on in pity as Mr. 3 collapsed to the floor, reducing to a mere shadow of what he had been before.

"Wa...Waduh...waduh.." He croaked as Crocodile crossed to the other side of the room and pressed a button.

"Drink all the water you like." He said, not watching the floor open up underneath the unfortunate man, who fell to the room below.

Crocodile tapped on the window, and looked out at a huge Bananadile.

"Feeding time."

Silence reigned as we listened to Mr. 3's screams of terror from below.

"That little craphead earned it. Killing him once isn't enough!" Crocodile snorted, before continuing with the debriefing. "Now, all of you, burn the images of these five into your minds! Their aim is to 'Stop the Rebellion'. If we allow them freedom, they'll show up on their own." He said, with a knowing smirk tossed my direction.

I only snorted and looked away.

_Fuck you, you damn Croc._

"But, Zero darling, if she really is the princess, doesn't that mean she could _stop_ the rebellion?" The okama asked, and Crocodile sighed.

"Maybe, unfortunately. I have heard that the Rebel leader Kohza and the princess were childhood friends." He said, and I knew that he was carefully considering options and plans. "It's a wave of 700,000 men. It won't be easy to stop, but she could certainly sidetrack them. We must not let them meet!" He decided. "I already have several Billions placed inside the rebellion. I haven't received a letter from them yet, so no direct action has been taken. We absolutely must avoid all contact between Vivi and the Rebels before the plan begins." Crocodile paused to take a drag of his cigar.

"Miss All Sunday."  
"Yes?"

"Use this opportunity to send a message to the Billions in Nanohana. Use a phone snail if you must. Once they find them, they must annihilate them." Crocodile ordered, then slammed his fist onto the table, causing the candelabra and silverware to jump.

"DO NOT LET THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATES INTO KATOREA! VIVI AND KOHZA MUST **NOT** SEE EACH OTHER!"

Nico merely closed her eyes and nodded.

"Yes, right away." she said, stepping away to do what he had ordered.

Crocodile cast a glance around the table.

"Now leave, all of you. You'll be late to the party. Our Utopia lays before our eyes. There cannot be any more trouble from here on, understand?"

The agents stood, displaying various degrees of confidence.

"Leave it to us, boss!"  
"WE'LL DOOOO IT!"

Crocodile smiled.

"Enjoy yourselves.

* * *

"So, Delanoi." Crocodile began, opening his newspaper.

"..." was my response as I flicked my eyes up to stare at him blankly.

"It's interesting that you escaped from the slave pits."

"..."

"I'm surprised you survived this long. Who healed that nasty wound you had, hmm?"

"..."

"Well I guess it doesn't really matter. When your crew shows up, you'll die along with them."

"..."

"What, no response, Delanoi?"

_That's the last straw._

"That's not my fucking name." I snarled, earning a chuckle from the imposing Shichibukai.

"Oh it's not?"

I ground my teeth while my knuckles turned white from the grip I had on the table I was seated on.

"My _**name**_ is **_Zehra_ **Kai, you bastard, _**and don't you EVER FORGET IT!"**_ I snapped, clipping my words and putting every ounce of anger I had left into them.

Silence reigned.

Crocodile swirled into being in front of the cage, giving me the darkest look I had seen to date on his face, and nearly biting his cigar in half.

_**"Where did you hear that name."**_

"What do you mean, _where did I hear that name?_" I sniped. "It's the name my mother gave me before she died. You know, as a slave of the Tenryubito." I finished angrily, meeting his glare in a straight-up challenge.

His face paled a few shades.

_W-what? That shocked him?_

As I digested that, he walked back to the couch, picked up his newspaper, and left the basement.

"What...the hell just happened?" I asked the empty room, confused as all hell, and settled in for whatever would happen next.


	26. Chapter 26

So my desktop crashed and burned friday night, taking all my notes, plotlines, character sheets, and dialogue with it in a blaze of glory. As such, this entire chapter was written seat-of-the-pants style using my old antique of a laptop. (The damn this is nigh on 10 years old, I'm surprised it booted up, much less actually work properly.)

**KitsuneAmbassador** gets a lovely little spotlight session for her story **Dark Watcher**. Apparently I gave her inspiration, and so I will support this literary endeavor. Continue the work, M'Dear!

**Thanks for reviewing: **FirstMateShadowNinja, cuteknight101, Luffy95, Shiningheart of ThunderClan, minnie015, MangaMagic, and xXxDragonxPhoenixXx.

_Things to take note of: _What's up with Croc-chan, I wonder? Why so touchy about a name? _"The Magician, he sparkles in satin and velvet, you gaze at his splendor with eyes you've not used yet, I tell you his name is Love, Love, Love! My, my, they sigh. My, my, they sigh..."_

* * *

**_Sssshhhing... Sssshhhing... Sssshhhing,,,_ _Sssshhhing..._**

"I'm glad to see you are staying busy, Godhand."

I didn't lift my eyes from my work, choosing to continue sharpening my daggers in lieu of meeting Robin's gaze. Boredom was a horrible thing to face, especially when coupled with the knowledge that there was nothing you could do to make the situation better.

"Good to see you too, Robin. How my old job treating you?" I asked as I set down my whetstone, and tilted the dagger fractionally. On it's smooth surface, Robin allowed herself a tiny smile.

"Rather well, actually." she responded, and I tucked my dagger back into my boot.

Try as I might, I still couldn't come up with a good explanation for my actions. I shouldn't have attacked Crocodile like that, it was phenomenally stupid. What good, what purpose, would it serve at the moment? None, other than winding my emotions tighter than a spring under pressure. Fear was there, _oh was it ever_, but I couldn't let it show. Showing fear to a man like _him_ was like slitting your wrists then diving into a shark pond.

And so, I opted instead to show casual indifference. I leaned back, and offered Robin a carefully neutral stare.

"What did you come here to talk to me about? It sure as hell wasn't to check my boredom levels."

She knelt in front of the cage, and set a plate of food and a glass of water down just in front of the bars. My eyebrow went up - just a hint - as my stomach decided to protest to me very softly.

"I thought perhaps you might be hungry."  
"Does Crocodile feed people he plans on killing these days? I'm half expecting that to be drugged."

It was her turn to lift her eyebrow. I kept my eyes on her as she knelt once more, and took a small bite of egg and a tiny sip of water.

"I can assure you that the food is fine." She said with a knowing smile as she slid the food through the bars.

I stood warily, and moved close enough to grab the plate and water. She turned, and walked away as I calmly ate the food (it really wasn't that bad) and drank the water.

After a second though, I realized that something was wrong.

The world tilted crazily, and as I moved to stand, my legs gave out on me.

"You **bitch**." I snarled as she pivoted and walked back towards the cage.

"I said the food was fine...I didn't say the water was."

I passed out.

* * *

_White hot pain, burning, scalding, the sickeningly sweet smell of scorched flesh. Blood dripping from my mouth, teeth grinding into my lower lip. I couldn't scream. Nana and Unca told me to be brave. Being brave meant I couldn't scream, couldn't cry. They said that it would be easier if I didn't, that the guards didn't** like** it when they heard the screams. _

_Said awful things happened to people who did. _

_So I was brave. _

_I was brave when Master decided I wasn't training hard enough, and made me fight another gladiator over and over and over. It was hard. He was older than me, and much, much stronger. Our final match would have been, no, **should have been**, a draw, but Master intervened. He ordered me to kill the other. _

_He wasn't brave. _

_After I disobeyed Masters orders for the first time, I knew I would die. The slave pits were a cesspool, filled with starving, wild, uncared for people. And I was nearly cut into four pieces. One of the few slaves still sane sewed me up - poorly, and with nothing to clean the wound with. _

_I was brave. _

_It became infected, and I slowly began to starve, not able to scavenge for food like the others could. _

_I was brave. _

_And then they came. They crushed the walls, vanquished the guards, and saved us all. The Revolutionary Army was brave that day, and those of us who could appreciate them, did. _

_The Doctrine happened to be in the area, and came to help heal the wounded. Dragon gave me over to her to care for, and though I was frightened of her at first, I remained brave. _

_She showed me how to be brave in a different way. _

_When we parted, we were close as sisters. And it was then I learned her secret, and then that she threw me out to protect me from the World Government. _

_I wandered. No friends except for those who wanted to fight me. No goal I could put my mind to. _

_Then I met Luffy. And Zoro. And they became my friends, and were joined by Nami, Usopp, and Sanji. Then we met a little reindeer named Chopper, and he became our friend too. _

_I'm brave for them. I'm strong for them. I can endure for them. _

_Because without them, I'm nothing. _

* * *

"**Wake up."**

I jerked awake, and quickly realized several things.

Firstly was that I was experiencing energy drain. I grimly noted that yes, my arms were handcuffed behind me, and yes, that was seastone those cuffs were made of.

Secondly, was that Crocodile was the only one in the room. Nico Robin was nowhere in sight. Interesting, but wholly unsurprising.

_I'm sure she has better things to do than to eavesdrop on her boss all the time. _

Thirdly, and perhaps, the most peculiar thing I'd ever seen, was that Crocodile was staring at me intensely. Not his usual 'I'm much greater than you could ever be' look of faint amusement or outright laughter, but a stone-cold look that would have caused dead men to wake up and begin screaming.

"...Uh..."

_Wonderful, Kai. Dazzle him with your scintillating conversational skills. Maybe he'll think I've regressed into being a caveman if I keep that up. _

"I'll ask you again. Where did you hear the name 'Zehra' from." He asked, the continued to cut me off as I opened my mouth to respond. "And don't lie to me."

I furrowed my brow and instinctively glared.

"I'm not lying. It was my mother's name. Why does it matter so much to you anyway?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

Crocodile nearly bit his cigar in half, then stood.

"Don't be ridiculous. That line of pirates died out a long time ago."

_What? _

"So I'll ask you once more," He intoned, moving to stand behind me as I lay on the floor. "..where did you hear that name from?"

"I already **told **you, it was my.."

My statement was cut off by a sharp pain in my arm, and the sound of a harsh _**SNAP**_. My brain caught up after a millisecond, and I vaguely realized that my right arm was broken.

"You can keep this up, or you can tell me the truth and we can move on. There are other things I need to talk to you about, you know."

I chose to remain silent this time. No answer I could give him would satisfy him, and I refused to betray my friends.

"...Looks like you're going to be difficult. Better get started then."

_I will be brave. _


	27. Chapter 27

To all those who have read this story, I apologize. This is not an update of this version of the story.

I have been unable to write the next chapter of this due to several (in my eyes) glaring errors earlier on in the story that need to be fixed before I can move on. As in, they would have to much of a detriment on where the story is going and how it is told. In addition to this, my writing style has changed somewhat, and it is physically jarring to look back over what I have written previously.

As such, Second Wind is an edited version of this story that I will be updating as I finish the chapters. Hopefully I will be able to breeze through much of what I have already written, though there will be some minor changes early on, and several major ones later.

Galestorm will stay up in the meanwhile, and I hope you can forgive me this.

Loki.


End file.
